NDEVOR - Plate 53 - Trista's PL8STORY Podcast with Brandi Cambric

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:

NDEVOR

[00:00:00]Trista, Host: Welcome to this week's episode of Trista's PL8STORY  (Plate Story)  Podcast. I'm Trista Polo from iwokeupawesome.com and I am your host. Each week, we learn the story behind that vanity plate. You know, the one you saw driving down the road... what did it say? What did it mean? Why did they choose it? 

Welcome. I'm excited today to have Brandi Cambric with us from Houston, Texas. Welcome Brandi. 

Brandi Cambric: Hi, thank you for having me. 

Yes, I'm excited. Now your license plate NDEVOR. It's actually N D E V O R. Correct. And that's a Texas plate. Can you tell us the story behind why you chose it? 

So that is, it goes back to my sorority.

So I am a member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority incorporated. It's one of the nine black Greek letter organizations. We comprise the national Panhellenic council. So NDEVOR is actually the name that was given to me by the young lady who was taking me [00:01:00] through the process to join my sorority. So the way the process works is we as a group, we come in and we go through a, I guess for lack of a better phrase, a vetting process to make sure that at the time we have the grades, the GPA the, the community service, just what they're looking for for the organization and the group of us, we come together, we're on a line or a class, and then each of us based on our personalities, our behaviors, the attributes that we display going through the process.

Our leader, for lack of a better phrase, she gives us a name at the end of our process and my name was Endeavor. 

That's awesome. So do you know why that was the name you were given 

 The way she explained it was that no matter what task she gave us the way she said it, I endeavored to make sure that it was completed.

So I did whatever was necessary, rallying to keep the team together, to get it done and make sure it was done properly. 

Trista, Host: Wow. That's a good name. [00:02:00] Yeah. When you got the name and the reason behind it didn't resonate with you, did you see like where she was coming from?

Brandi Cambric: To be honest, no because at the time I'm like, what, 21? 22 years old. So I'm thinking I'm going to get like some edgy name or some kind of like really cool name. And she gave me that and I'm like, okay,

I really didn't get it at first. But the more like even after we became members and I got my letters and we joined the org It kind of, yeah, I could see it. I could see what she was saying because once we went through, it was me and I had three other lines sisters. So we had a very small line, but once we became members, we set out on an ambitious plan, like we said, okay, we're going to complete every national project that the sorority has in one school year.

And we did it. And we said, no matter what, like if we had classes, tests, projects, whatever, we worked [00:03:00] around it to get it done. So through that, I'm like, okay, Now I see it. I see why she said that. And even to this day, I still see why she said that. And then fill the name does now resonate with me.

Trista, Host: That's awesome. I was just actually going to look it up. So endeavor is to attempt something by exertion of effort, to strive, to achieve or reach. 

To work with set purpose. Yes. So how do you see that in yourself today? How does that translate into who you are today as a professional? And 

Brandi Cambric: are you a mom? I am a mom.

Trista, Host: Yes. 

Brandi Cambric: Yes. Wow. And so many did like, just as a mom. I was a single parent, so it was, it was tough. Cause I'm a single parent and then I'm working 40, 50, 60 hours a week. I worked in retail. So I had a lot of that going on, so trying to make sure that I'm getting stuff done, to be able to take care of [00:04:00] her and then also be able to spend time with her because he got to the point where I'm so focused on making sure I'm providing for her, that I was living at work.

So it's like, okay, I had to stop, sit down and make a plan. Figure out that as they say, in retail, that work life balance. To get that done. And then even at work, I, I set a plan. I list out everything I need to do, and I strategically go through that and make it happen. And then again, even in my personal life, or so for example, back in, I want to say it was 2000, 2014.

Towards the end of the year, I came down with some mysterious illness that crippled me. Couldn't walk, couldn't use my hands. Yeah, they bedridden... lost my job, all of that. So it, it kind of catapulted me into a bit of a depression. But where that, that the endeavor comes in. It, it, it, I felt sorry for myself for a minute, but then I was like, okay, you know what?

We're going to make some good use of this time. I'm down. I can't do anything. I can't go anywhere. So [00:05:00] that led me to contact my school. So I went to Prairie view a and M university. So I reached out to them, explained my situation. I told them I wanted to get back to school to finish my degree. So I started that they, they made exceptions for me to allow me to do it all online because there were aspects where I was supposed to have to go to the campus.

But again, considering my situation couldn't drive, couldn't walk, couldn't do any of that. So they may, they made concessions for me. And I was able to go back to school online. And push through and it was tough. Cause once I got physically and medically better, I was able to go back to work, but then it's work.

And then at the time I was really ambitious and took 18 hours. So I pushed through that and got my bachelor's in 18. Just went back again, finished and got my master's. I actually just graduated with my master's. 

Trista, Host: Congratulations. So 

Brandi Cambric: it still resonates with me to this day in every [00:06:00] aspect of my life.

Trista, Host: Yeah, absolutely. Now, what is your master's in, what did you go back to school for? 

Brandi Cambric: Business administration. Okay, 

Trista, Host: awesome. And how are you using that now? Professionally? You've started your own business 

Brandi Cambric: actually. I'm still in retail and 

Trista, Host: Oh, you're still in retail. Yes. So you're still endeavoring.

You are in retail, you're still a mom and now you've started a business, right? Oh my goodness. That's awesome. So you're doing it all. So tell me about your business. 

Brandi Cambric: So it's called the Joseph consulting firm. It was the brainchild of my best friend of 30 years. Her name is Candice. So it was her baby, her brainchild, but we got together and it's basically a consult is a one-stop shop for your everyday business entrepreneur.

So we work with, we, we, we will help like your big firm people that are established, but then we also want to help the ones who like I have this great idea for a plan or a business. I have no idea [00:07:00] where to start. Okay, cool. Not a problem. Come with to us. We can help you with your business plan. We can help you getting your LLC established and getting that registered marketing, social media, retail all of that.

So we have stylist on our team who can help you with makeup, clothing design. We have audio visual people who can do your website for you and your marketing and commercials. We have business coaches, just people to help teach you what you need to know to get through it and everything in between.

Trista, Host: So that's pretty impressive. You went from not having a business to creating a business with teams of people in all different modalities to help as that one-stop shop. 

Brandi Cambric: Yes. How 

Trista, Host: did you structure that so that you could make sure you had everything you needed, but also not stretch yourself too thin as a new business resource wise?

Right? It's it's, it's tough. I can honestly say that is something that both Candice and I [00:08:00] struggle with because like me, she also has a full-time job. So it's juggling our full-time jobs with the firm to make sure that we can first and foremost market ourselves. So people know we exist. So we've done that, gotten it out there, but then once the name is out there and we started getting clients coming in, making sure that we make time for the clients.

Brandi Cambric: So we can sit down with them. And like this past year with COVID of course that changed how everybody did business. So we did a lot of virtual meetings. There was a lot of meeting in restaurants, in parking lots in wherever we could just to accommodate our clients. And then truthfully to just really get our name out there this entire year, everything we had done was free of charge.

We didn't charge anybody, anything. Oh, my goodness. Yeah. We didn't charge anyone at all this entire year. Because I mean, and I, I know you've seen it like with COVID hitting, there was so many entrepreneurs coming out of the woodwork. Like people you've found out that people could, [00:09:00] sew you never knew could sew. And people can do hair and people making t-shirts and folks cooking. And it's like, wait a minute. I didn't even know you could do that. 

Trista, Host: Yes, so right. 

And then it seems, it was like, even those people surprised themselves. Cause they were like, Oh wait a minute. I'm actually kind of good at this.

Brandi Cambric: So maybe I want this to be my business. So those were the people we were looking to and trying to help. And those are the people we still help to this day. And we work with. 

Trista, Host: Now, you've had you know, nine plus months. Yes of doing this during this pandemic. How is that going to translate to your plans for 2021?

Brandi Cambric: Now that I have the masters, all of all that is, and all I'm looking at it is it's giving me more information, more knowledge that I can use to improve my performance at work. So I can better understand just the dynamic of managing a team. Like you have to be able to manage a team and learn personalities and try to get people to vibe together. [00:10:00] And that's definitely the case in retail, but even more so. And I'm learning even that transitions over to here at the firm, because it started out with four of us, four or five of us, and we knew each other.

So it's, it's, it's me. And it's my best friend, Candice. And it's her brother. He's our audio visual guy, Greg. but we all knew each other. And then that was Sharita. There was Osha, we all knew each other. But then, as we, as our name got out there, the, the services we started needing to be offered, expanded.

So then we had to bring on more people. So now we have people that none of us know, and we have to learn their, personality and how we can all work together. So that's the plan is I'm going to continue to use my degree, what I've learned. And to help the team here because that's going to like, for example, that's my area of expertise is HR managing teams, stuff like that.

So I'm just going to use that to help, to continue to grow the firm. And then just continue to work with my team in my full-time [00:11:00] job as well. 

Trista, Host: Wow. That's awesome.

Now, are you going to continue to offer those free services for new entrepreneurs? Or how are you guys adjusting that? Because this is going to go out. You're talking about offering free services. I mean, you're going to get a lot of phone calls.

Let's set the record straight on 

Brandi Cambric: that 

Let's talk about that right now. We are in talks about that. Ironically, we have been discussing that like, okay, what are we going to do? How are we going to change that up? So it may be something where it's a promotion, like a two for one type service or three for one, or a buy two services, get one free, that type of thing.

So that's what we have to figure out cause at the same time we still realize we're still in the midst of this pandemic.

And there are still a lot of people who are not working and don't have any source of income or the money they do have. They have to hold on to it just to live. So we understand that and we're very cognizant of that. So there [00:12:00] may be depending on it, honestly, I can honestly say it will be a case by case basis.

Truthfully, it'll turn into like a scholarship program, probably like that. Right.  

Trista, Host: Oh, wow. That's awesome. I love how you're really looking outside the box because that's what entrepreneurs need to be able to do.

Exactly. You need to have right. Best practices, structures, processes in place, but you've also gotta be able to pivot really well. 

And if the pandemic has taught us nothing, it has taught us that if we can move and change with grace, through anything, even if we're not sure what, that we'll probably end up ahead of the game.

And then, you know, when it all, 

Brandi Cambric: we're trying to help people learn how to pivot, because a lot of people a lot of people don't, and that was something that I've discovered through out this year. And then with us being in the firm and helping people is change scares a lot of people and it kind of sometimes [00:13:00] it is weird for some people change is that catalyst that they need to challenge themselves to move forward and see if they can get through it. But then for other people change sets their feet and cement it and they can't move forward. They can't break free is like they shut down. So that's what we want to do. We want to help them understand how to pivot and change and not let that change scare you so much that you don't do anything. 

Trista, Host: Yeah. It's like that fight flight or freeze. I think that comes into place for sure. Now I have to ask you a question .

How have you been able to have an entire team of people working for free for a year and still be in business? How have you made that magic happen? Because it's a huge contribution, but I mean, you guys got to eat. 

Brandi Cambric: Well and see that's where the thing is first and foremost, everyone on the team has full-time job. So they have jobs outside of the firm. [00:14:00] And then the other part is we honestly were just upfront with everybody, like, okay, Hey, so this is what we want to do. Your talent we need as part of this team. We can't pay you right now, but the way you make money with us is for every client that you bring in that's for you. Whatever payment is whatever payment services they need from you. When you offer that's on you, you set up your structure because quite a few of our team members actually have their own businesses as well.

So we have a team it's it's, it's like, we're a team, but it's a team of CEOs. So, and we have people who have style businesses, hair, makeup, artists, music, t-shirts. So it's a little bit of everything. So everyone is cool with they honestly, we didn't have any issues. Once we were up, like I said, we were upfront and told them, this is what it is. This is what we're doing. This is how you get paid. And once we did that, everybody was fine with it. 

Trista, Host: That's awesome. You did it in communication. You are straight up with people from the beginning. [00:15:00] No surprises. So when they said yes, they knew what they were saying yes to, and it wasn't any place for like animosity or annoyance or disappointment.

That's huge. Yeah. That's huge. 

Brandi Cambric: That's the key point? It's just like a relationship. Communication is a big thing. 

Trista, Host: Yes. Oh my goodness. Yes. Now I gotta ask, because you said that you, a couple of times you said that you started the business with your BFF, that you've been friends forever. Candace. Yeah. So what made you guys decide that you would be a good fit to be in business and take that friendship to a new level?

We...Candace and I I have an unusual friendship. Like we're not, if you look, if you would see us together and hear us interacting, you wouldn't think, wow, you're best friends. Brandi Cambric:  For me and Candace it, we connected in sixth grade. Quite by happenstance. We realized that we literally had every class [00:16:00] together.

Because we were looking at our schedule, then we go on from class to class and we'd walk in like the first-class we walked in and was like, Hey, how are you? Hey, and then the bell rang. We went to the next class and I walked in and she was sitting there. I was like, Hey, we got two classes together.

And then we went to the third class. I'm like, wait a minute. What's going on here? So we sat down and we looked at our schedules and sure enough, sixth grade year we had all of our classes together. We thought. Seventh grade exact same thing. Really? We didn't request it. We didn't plan it that way. It just happened.

Yeah. We just kind of gravitated toward each other. Cause I was your stereotypical nerd and the big Coke bottle glasses or the pigtails. I will, I was straight A's and everything. I was that kid that cried if she got a B I was that kid. Yeah. And Candice was to me, like, and we've talked about it. Like, to me, [00:17:00] she was like the, the ambassador of the school, because the the middle school we went to, was it a neighborhood that she lived in?

Like, I got bussed in because I was in the magnet program. So I wasn't familiar with that neighborhood. I wasn't part of that neighborhood, but she was, so everybody knew her and I'm like, okay, she's kinda popular. I'm like, I'm a nerd. And then she kinda like, she gravitated towards me and she was like, you're cool.

Like really. Cause it's kinda like, wow, the prom queen thinks that I'm cool. And I'm a nerd. So 

that doesn't happen.

Trista, Host: We, 

Brandi Cambric: We, we just, it was natural. It was, it was natural. And we hung out. We stuck together through middle school. We physically got separated the four years in high school because again, she went to the high school in her neighborhood and I went to the high school and the neighborhood that I lived in.

But we still kept in touch. So I was still going to her house and hanging out and she was coming to my house and we were going to movies and stuff like that. College, we went, we both went [00:18:00] to college together, same school. We were suite mates and then we pledged together. So we were sorority sisters.

She is my daughter's godmother. So is, is like every facet of our life is 

Trista, Host: every say's. Yeah. 

Brandi Cambric: Yeah. She's been there with me through the bad times and the good times, and I've been there with her and for her, and it just seems natural. Like we we're, for me, she's the sister I never had because I'm the only girl.

So she's the sister I never had an, I trust her with my life and I'm just another sister for her because she has sisters. And she trusts me with hers.  

Trista, Host: Now that I know your relationship and how it progressed, I wouldn't even have bothered asking that 

Brandi Cambric: question. A lot of people, they don't realize they're like we keep saying like 30 years, some folks think we're exaggerating.

I'm like, no, we really meant 1996 grade Ryan middle school. That's where this started. 

Trista, Host: Wow. That's awesome. It's so great that you have that kind of relationship [00:19:00] in your lives for each other. And it's clear that what you chose to do as your business is to make a difference for other people.

Yeah. And I love that. That's, that's how you're expressing your friendship out in the world. 

Brandi Cambric: Yeah. 

Trista, Host: That's awesome. So you are A I noticed on your license plate that you have a Dallas cowboy frame. 

Brandi Cambric: I am a football fan. Anybody that's familiar with football and follows it back in the eighties and nineties with Houston, we did have a football team. We had the Houston Oilers. It was during the love your blue days. So we had Warren moon and I was about to say refrigerator period, but it's not refrigerated Perry.

It was Oh my God. His name was on the tip of my tongue, but yeah, we had those guys, so avid football fan back then, plus it did, it helped that my mom at the time worked she worked at, AT&T and her boss would always give us tickets [00:20:00] to go to the games. And we got to get to sit up in the suites in the box seats.

So we are, my mom took us to it, me and my younger brother to every game. So we're sitting up there, stuffing ourselves with hotdogs and popcorn and sodas. And we were watching the football game. So fast forward a few years the Oilers left Houston I believe it was Bum Phillips. He took them out and they went to, if I remember correctly is what they went to Tennessee.

So at that time we didn't have a football team. So the only Texas football teams were the Oilers and the Cowboys. So like most everybody else in Houston, we gravitated towards the Cowboys. So you became a Cowboys fan and that's where I stayed.

And then we got the Texans. And everybody was like, well, Brandi, you should have became a Texasn fan when they came back. I was 

Trista, Host: like, no. Cause see to me 

Brandi Cambric: that being a bandwagon fan, like I'm a diehard Cowboys fan. By this time we had been with the Cowboys. Has it been our team for, I think about 10 years or so.

So I'm like, I got 10 years in the Cowboys fan game. Like, no, [00:21:00] I'm not leaving my boys. And I'm diehard. I said you saw the license plate frame on the front.

I have the floor floormates inside. I have the sticker that goes across the windshield. I have the,

I am true Cowboys fan. 

That's awesome.Trista, Host:  Now I want to talk to you a little bit about being a single mom. I was raised by a single mom as well, so I have quite an affection for parents that have to figure it out, do it on your own no matter what, how was that for you? 

Brandi Cambric: Okay. So 

Trista, Host: because your daughter's older now, right? She's is she in college? 

Brandi Cambric: She just turned 19 this past November. So she's 19. Still trying to figure out what she wants to major in because she's kind of all over the place.

So right now it's a toss up between architecture, following me into business and then culinary arts. So that's 

Trista, Host: where the diverse choice, 

Brandi Cambric: but she likes all of them. She just doesn't know which way to [00:22:00] go. But raising hers so.. Is the funny story.

I had no clue I was pregnant, so it's when I tell the story, I tell folks, like, I remember it, like it was yesterday. I was at work. It was like a Friday afternoon. I was at work. I'm having really bad stomach pains. So I'm like, okay, maybe I ate something wrong or I drank something and it's just food poisoning.

That was my thought that was food poisoning. So my boss came in to close that night and like I'm at the register on doubled over in pain. Like I can't even stand up straight. And she was like, okay, go home. So she sent me home, I get home and I let my mom know and I'm curled up on the couch. I'm like in pain, I'm sweating.

I'm like, I don't know what it is. She's like, okay. I don't like this. We're going to the ER. So we go to the ER that Friday night they stay, they take me, pay blood, do urine, all that good stuff. They come back with a diagnosis. You have a UTI. [00:23:00] So they gave me medication for that and give me some Vicodin for the pain.

And they sent me home .Like five, six o'clock the next day. So it was a Saturday morning. Now pain is still intense. We don't know what's going on. The pain pills aren't working, nothing's working. So then my mom's like, okay, we're going back. So here we go back to the ER and they're like, all right, well, let's figure this out.

We're going to get you in. We're going to do an examination. We're going to check your pelvis, find out what's happened. So they get me in the room. And the doctor starts pressing on my stomach. You know, when they're doing the pelvic, he's pressing on my stomach and then he's like, okay, well, let me, we're going to check, see what's going on down there.

I'm like, okay, cool. And they get me in position and he steps back and he looks down at the floor and he looks at me and then he kind of raises the sheets, looks down there and he drops the sheet, walks out the room.

That's not a 

Trista, Host: good sign.

Brandi Cambric: Now bear in mind, I'm like 21 years [00:24:00] old. I don't know what's happening. So the next thing he sends a nurse back in there, she comes to the room, goes to the phone, it's up on the wall, pushes some numbers. We need a room at L and D STAT. She hangs up the phone, nobody's saying anything to me. So I'm like, what? And she looked at me like, I just suddenly sprouted two heads.

And she was like, are you serious? Well, yeah, I don't know. What's L and D? She's like it's labor and delivery. I was 

Trista, Host: like, 

wait a minute. Why? Because you're pregnant. And I'm like no I'm not. And we're going back and forth and back and forth. And I'm like, no, no, no, I'm not pregnant. She's like, well, what makes you say that? I'm like, I don't look pregnant. Do I look pregnant to you? She was like, well, no, you don't. I said see. There you go. Nope. They rolled me upstairs. And a few hours later here comes five pounds, seven ounce Briana.

Brandi Cambric: Yeah. 

[00:25:00] Trista, Host: Do they know how far along you were? 

They said I was full term. You 

were full term and she was only five pounds. And you had no idea? 

Brandi Cambric: No. 

Trista, Host: Goodness. 

And that's of course then it starts the third degree with all the doctors and the nurses. Okay, well, why didn't you get prenatal care? I didn't know I was pregnant. So why would I get prenatal care? Brandi Cambric: I didn't have the strange cravings that I always hear pregnant women talk about. I didn't have the morning sickness. I didn't have, like, I know I heard with pregnant women, like they get sensitive to smells and certain smells will make them sick. I didn't have any of that.

Didn't show didn't gain weight. Didn't nothing, nothing. So it 

Trista, Host: was a mystery. 

Brandi Cambric: Yes, we have no clue. The only 

Trista, Host: thing, 

Brandi Cambric: the only way the doctor that delivered her, he was like, the only thing I can think of is that you just kept her sleep the entire nine months, because you were so active, you never slowed down. [00:26:00]

And then he was like, she rode high in my stomach. So that would probably be the reason why I didn't show because she rode up high, like right under my breasts. So I'm like, okay. And he was like, that's probably why she never kicked and never did anything. And I was like, Oh, so are you telling me I got a baby now?

You're like, yeah, she is 

Trista, Host: any time to get used to the idea to prep diapers at home. 

Brandi Cambric: And 

Trista, Host: you lived at home with your mom at the time? 

Brandi Cambric: Yeah. Yeah. Cause I had by that time I had I I'd actually already withdrawn from school my first go round because my mom had been sick. So I withdrew from school and moved back to Houston to take care of her.

So we were, we had, we got a house, but we were living together. So she was better by then she gotten better. But then again, I just wasn't at the point to be able to go back to school and they insure, so my 

Trista, Host: gosh, 

and they were like, I was. I was my [00:27:00] room that weekend was a revolving door. Like if people were in and out, because everybody had heard about it in the hospital, by the time I had her, everybody in the hospital from different floors from ER, I'm like everybody was coming in and asking questions, like, how did you not know?

Brandi Cambric: I'm 

Trista, Host: like, 

no, didn't know. And then I think they discharged us. No, they kept us cause they wanted to make, because she was so small, they just wanted to make sure. So they ran a lot of tests made sure she was okay. Brandi Cambric: They were gonna discharge does that Monday because I had him that Saturday night and they were going to discharge us on Monday.

So the nurse came in and she was like, okay, mom, we got our baby ready and we're ready to let you guys go. And I was like, okay, cool. I haven't packed up my stuff and I'm holding out my arms for her to give me the baby. And she's holding her. She is, she's looking around. I was like, what? She said, where's your car seat.

I was like, I don't have one. She's like mom, I'm like, yes. She said, yeah, legally we can't let [00:28:00] you leave the hospital without a car seat to put the baby 

Trista, Host: again. Like when did you think I was going to Walmart? Exactly. Like I've been sitting here the whole time. 

Brandi Cambric: Oh, Oh, okay. And like I'm like, and I looked at my mom, I'm like mama she's like, Brandi, just give me a bank card.

And cause where the hospital we were in, there was a babies R us right down the street. She was like, just give me your bank card and I'll go get the stuff. I was like, okay, so she had to go buy a stroller car seat, diaper bag clothes. Like literally everything. I don't 

Trista, Host: even have a baby shower for people to give you all the stuff you'd need.

Nope. 

Brandi Cambric: I had no clue. And then once I got home, it was letting my family know. And nobody believed me. None of, none of my family believed me because we had just had a family reunion in. So I had her in November. We had just had a family reunion in [00:29:00] September. 

Trista, Host: They didn't believe that you didn't know, or they didn't believe that you had had a baby.

They 

Brandi Cambric: didn't believe I had a baby.

Trista, Host: Oh, that's right. That's right. Straight As. Right. I forgot. 

Brandi Cambric: I didn't the good girl and 

Trista, Host: all Candace's fault. Right. Cause she introduced you to the fun crap. 

Brandi Cambric: My mom did not want me and Candace to be friends.

In the beginning, she just swore up and down. Candace was going to have me on the road to Robyn Beck and stealing cars and all of that crazy. But none of my family, and like I said, I had her in November, in September, we'd had a family reunion, so, you know, it's Texas, it's hot. So I'm in short shorts. I got a little t-shirt on, I don't look like I'm pregnant.

So when I started telling the family, nobody believed me. And then my house became a revolving door [00:30:00] because then everybody was like, okay, we got to come see this. So everybody started coming through and then it was like, Oh my God, you had a baby. Well, that's what I've been trying to tell you. So it was, it was interesting.

It wasn't, I can honestly say it wasn't too difficult because before Brianna came along, I actually had been taking care of a niece and a nephew at different points when they were babies. So it started when they were babies. So I was used to the 2 and 3:00 AM feedings and not sleeping through the night.

Yeah. And dirty diapers and feeding and teething and temper to the terrible twos and was used to all of that. So by the time I have Briana, I was like, it's a surprise. Let me get past the surprise, but I just jumped right into it. And because I was used to it and everybody was like, well, no, no, no, it's different.

I said, no, the only difference is now it's my child I'm taking care of. And I can't send it to nobody at the end of the day, when I'm sick of her [00:31:00] cry, like I have to deal with her next to me, but it was, it w it was trying, it was trying, I can honestly say that because I really got to see. Like I even told my mom, cause there's three of me, three of me, three of us, I have it's me.

And then I have a younger brother and an older brother and my mom raised three of us. And I had to tell him, like, I don't know how you did that with three kids. I'm like one is, is giving me the blooms. Because then you have to learn about, I had to learn about schools and shots and what she had to have and what she couldn't have, and then understand like, as she grew learning how she learned and understanding how she comprehended things and trying to help her and the personality.

And yeah, it was, it was, it was a lesson in patience. So I still say it to this day. I give much. Much credit and props to people who have multiple children and they do it on their own because I don't [00:32:00] know how, I don't know how they do it, but it's she, we, we got through it together. We had a few hiccups along the way, but for the most part we did well.

She was, she for the most part, she's the spitting image of me. This looks just like me act like me school she's into it. I mean, some of her likes and interests are different. Like, I don't understand why you're into that. It makes no sense, but. Other than that. It was amazing. It's awesome. 

Trista, Host: Wow. That's awesome.

Brandi Cambric: Yeah they kept wanting me to change her name to either Miracle or Blessing. And I'm like, yeah, no, we're not doing, we're not doing that. No, she's going to have a normal name. I'm not setting her up to be ridiculed and bullied.

But I can honestly say I enjoyed it. I really did. 

Yeah. Oh, that's awesome. Trista, Host: So I want to just talk about one more thing before we wrap up, which is just any advice that you have, you know, you've been working with [00:33:00] entrepreneurs. New people who didn't ever plan to be entrepreneurs, but have sort of had to figure out how to make money, because it's been a very weird year.

We got this new year, 2021. What wisdom can you impart?

Brandi Cambric: One thing I've learned a lot in dealing with entrepreneurs is they have a tendency to wait until it's perfect. Like the timing is perfect. The plan is perfect. Everything is perfect. If you wait for everything to be perfect, you will never get started. Start that's all I can say is just start it and you can figure it out as you go.

You can perfect it as you go. Because we didn't w things weren't ideal for us when we started, like, we didn't have an idea of a team and what we were going to do and how we were going to do. We just had the, the blueprint, we kind of had a skeleton and then we went from there. So that's my advice.

I can just say, just be patient be fair and don't be scared.

And definitely don't wait for perfection because there's no such thing. [00:34:00] None of us are perfect.

Trista, Host:  That's for sure. That is for sure. Awesome. Thank you for sharing some advice and wisdom for people like that.

Anything else, any final words that you want to say about anything we've talked about or anything we didn't talk about? 

Brandi Cambric: I enjoyed this. I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this. I'm just. I think like a lot of people I'm looking forward to 2021 and hoping that, cause I know at the beginning of 2020, everyone was, everybody was like 2020 is my year. This is going to be a great year. We're going to do, that'd be awesome.

And then COVID it. 

Trista, Host: And then it's like, yeah, you aren't leaving. 

Brandi Cambric: You're not going anywhere. Yeah. We gotta, we have to find our small successes and we have to celebrate no matter how big, no matter how small. So even what, like with us here at the farm, we didn't think it, but we have a suite, we have a suite of offices.

We never thought we would do that, but we did it during, COVID not charging people for anything. So 

Trista, Host: it's amazing. 

[00:35:00] All inspiring. So don't out. Just, I would encourage everybody to go into 2021. With the same enthusiasm and high spirits and, and good, good mojo that we were. Can we came into 2020 with just, just go there.

Brandi Cambric: We know it's been a tough year, but it's going to get better. It's going to get better. I am a firm believer in that it will get better. 

Trista, Host: Yeah. And I'm going to just underline something that you said and tease it out a little bit, which was. You got to really be willing to look at your small wins and take credit for every win, no matter how big or how small cause it's the wins that get us the confidence to keep going.

When we feel like, is it worth it? So I would say if, if this is something I'll add in, if you haven't done this yet, take stock of everything you've [00:36:00] accomplished in 2020, it's probably more than you realize. And that includes your resilience. That includes your willingness to do things that were uncomfortable.

Awesome. Well, I always like to turn the tables before we wrap up and ask you, if you have a question you'd like to ask me. So do you have a question you'd like to ask? 

Brandi Cambric: Nothing to ask, but I will say that I love your energy. Like it is, it is amazing. It's contagious and I think your energy and your enthusiasm is what made me so comfortable and at ease.

So I can honestly say, but that's the truth. I can honestly say you made this like this, this is only my second. Well, if you count our pre-interview, this is only my third time doing this. So you made it effortless, like it's, it was actually fun. I actually enjoyed it. So I know questions for you, but just the comment and compliment.

Thank you [00:37:00] for making it on an effortless and enjoyable. 

Ah, that's so sweet. My pleasure. Trista, Host: I really appreciate you saying that. You know, what's really funny that you say that is that when we were talking this whole way through this conversation, and we're just laughing and having a great time, I'm like, this is all your energy.

Like you are just so open and sweet and happy that I'm just having such a blast. I'm laughing all the way through.

So what you're seeing in me is me reflecting back at you. So that's my compliment right back at ya.

 Have so enjoyed our conversation Brandi, thank you so much for being on 

Brandi Cambric: Oh, no problem at all. I hope you continue to stay safe. 

Trista, Host: You, you too. Have a great 

Brandi Cambric: day. 

Trista, Host: All right, bye.

Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of Trista's PL8STORY podcast. Please subscribe to [00:38:00] Trista's PL8STORY podcast to get the story behind all those vanity plates, driving with you on the road. And if you would like to nominate the owner of a license plate, including you... Or visit any of our partners and sponsors come and see us www.pl8story.com. That's P L number eight story.com and give us the details. 

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