Young And Building w/guest Hannah Singer

You can feel it when someone is building a life on purpose, not just collecting milestones. Hannah Singer is 21, about to graduate college, married young, a homeowner, and already growing Homestead Design Company, and she’s honest about the parts that look exciting and the parts that feel heavy. We talk about what it’s like to be ahead of your peer group in some ways, behind in others, and still unsure where you “fit” when everyone’s timeline looks different.

We also dig into interior design in a way that’s practical for real homes and real budgets. Hannah explains why good home design is never just about pretty rooms, and why function matters as much as style if you want to feel comfortable and safe in your own space. She pushes back on the idea that design is only for millionaires or big city clients, and shares how she thinks about budget friendly design, problem solving, and helping clients love what they already have.

The conversation keeps coming back to identity, gratitude, and ambition. We unpack “keeping up with the Joneses,” the pressure of comparing your progress to your parents or your friends, and the daily choice to stay grounded while you keep working. Hannah also shares advice for young adults who are trying to figure life out right now: ask for opportunities, follow up, build experience, and do not let arrogance replace effort.

If you’re navigating marriage in your early 20s, starting a small business, choosing between college and trades, or trying to build a stable life in Central Washington, you’ll find a lot to take from this one. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share it with someone who’s in their “figuring it out” season, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re applying this week.

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Transcript

Going Live And Welcome

SPEAKER_02 0:09

So, this is our recording and our friends on Facebook.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 0:13

Okay, we are live.

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Hello, hello.

SPEAKER_02 0:15

And that's TikTok. Awesome. So our friends over there. Beautiful. Yeah. You ready?

SPEAKER_01 0:21

I think so. Yeah. Hopefully.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Yeah. Well, let's get started. So welcome to Deep Dive with Dr. D. My guest today is Hannah Singer, who I actually made the mistake earlier. I was recording a video, and I said that I've known you since you were born, but that's inaccurate because you're 21. I've known you since you were about five.

SPEAKER_01 0:42

You've known Claire though.

SPEAKER_02 0:44

I've known Claire since she was born. I've known Hannah's mom. I work with her. So we work together. And so I've watched you, you know, from five years old to an adult and doing the things we're gonna talk about. So, and and I've wanted to have younger guests on, and you are my youngest guest.

SPEAKER_03 1:04

Yay!

SPEAKER_02 1:05

Yay! So um, yeah, so welcome to the show. Um, I do like to do my shameless plug. I actually just went over a year of having my book out in the world. I was downtown MCing an event, and I went in the library, and it was just kind of surreal to see you know my book in the library. Yeah, yeah. Um, so this copy is for you. Awesome. Um, and I told Hannah before we started, your mom's probably gonna be upset because I don't think she has a copy. So if you want to share it, please. You can borrow it when I'm done. Yeah, if you want a letter, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Yeah, I don't know. If I want to.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:38

So uh yeah, enjoy that. And if you haven't gotten a copy of it, you can get it wherever books are sold locally at Gerald's Pearl Street Books. Uh, Gerald's will actually deliver it to your door if you order it online. I learned that because I had Rolf Williams on. Yeah, yeah. Um, and uh of course, Amazon, it's an ebook, it's an audiobook. Enough about me and my book. Um, I'm excited to hear about you. We have some questions. So let's start with um, you know, just tell the world, you know, out there, whoever watches this, about you as a person, a professional, whatever you want to share.

Hannah’s Fast Track Adulthood

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Yeah. Um, well, I'm Hannah. I am about to graduate college, which is pretty exciting. It's been a long time coming. Um, I am a daughter of two locally grown parents. My dad was born and raised here, my mom's from the basin and has been here for a very long time. And I'm a wife, I'm a homeowner. Wow. I have a house full of animals running around. Um, I just recently started after my husband and I got married. I wanted to, I told him, I'm not gonna be cooking and cleaning every day, so you're gonna have to deal with that. And boy, was that a foot and mouth moment. So now I I absolutely love cooking. I love entertaining. I'm I've got the garden thumbnail.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

What does your husband do?

SPEAKER_01 3:03

He's an electrician.

SPEAKER_02 3:04

Oh yeah, and self-employed or he works for his dad. Oh yeah. And locally, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

Who's his dad? Greg Singer.

SPEAKER_02 3:11

Oh, oh, duh. Oh my gosh. Okay, okay, go on. Yeah, cool.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

So yeah, so they work in the um central Washington region, and mostly local. But um, yeah, no, I'm lifelong resident. I went to school in the Palouse for design school before I came here. And um, yeah, life is good. Now I've got a business.

Pets Home And Building Roots

SPEAKER_02 3:31

So yeah, that's super cool. I I've you know, your mom is um, I say this, you know, work-wise. Without your mom, our department would just burn to the ground, right? So she's I've always admired her for her work ethic, but her her love and passion for you and your sister and family, um, you know, she there's kind of a core group of us that come in the office pretty regularly and pretty early. And I can always hear your mom coming in and she's talking about you or talking to you or your sister, or you know, the latest ventures with your dad in Arizona. And I've always admired that, and I'm seeing that in you, right? Just talking about how you're you know, you're 21, right? You're venturing into adulthood. Tell me about the pets. What do you got?

SPEAKER_01 4:19

So Benny is our oldest. Um, he is a golden retriever, and he was a year in November, so he's a year and a half. Yeah. He is oh my gosh, I adore him. Yeah, he's my baby.

SPEAKER_02 4:33

Oh, good.

SPEAKER_01 4:34

And then we randomly rescued a kitten last year. Okay. Um, one day when I was at work, one of the drivers brought in this tiny little peanut. She had to have only been like three weeks. Oh wow. Her name's Olive. And downtown.

SPEAKER_02 4:47

Yeah. Downtown.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

She was just she asked neighbors, like, hey, is this your cat? They're like, no, but we found the mom and take her. Yeah. So I get a text on my phone. They're like, Does anybody want this kitten? I'm like, me, me, me.

SPEAKER_02 4:59

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

And I was like, I should probably check with my husband first.

SPEAKER_02 5:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:02

So, um, and it didn't take long. If you know him, you'll know that he's very reluctant to caving in on getting animals for the responsibility factor. And I grew up with a house full of animals, so I always wanted that. And I was like, What har what harm can she do? Like, she'll just be there. Benny needs a companion. And um, my husband and that cat are two peas in a pod.

SPEAKER_02 5:27

Oh, that's great.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

Yeah. And then we got Rocket.

SPEAKER_02 5:30

Rocket.

SPEAKER_01 5:31

Yeah, Brocket is our newest edition. We got him in December.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

Cat dog.

SPEAKER_01 5:35

He's a rescue dog.

SPEAKER_02 5:36

Oh, oh, the one you just told me about.

SPEAKER_01 5:38

Yeah, so he's a little met, but he definitely he's got that border collie in him.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:43

And he is just him and Benny's personalities compliment each other so much. And they're just the most like charismatic dogs. Those dogs have so much character. I just adore them.

SPEAKER_02 5:53

They're great. Well, you just got to meet Jerry. Yes, he's been quite the addition. Yep. Johnny, you know, I say with Jerry coming in, we had Daisy the Chihuahua. She was, you know, she was Daisy. She was the queen, but her and Johnny didn't play. Because Daisy was old. John Johnny's got a buddy now. They play all the time.

SPEAKER_01 6:12

And it's so cute their size difference, how well they do together.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

It's like just watching them with Johnny's big jaw, like how he puts in, would never think of hurting him.

SPEAKER_01 6:22

It's just so funny. Jerry seems like he has little dog syndrome. Like he just does, he has no idea how big he is.

Marriage Young And Finding Community

SPEAKER_02 6:27

Well, literally, Johnny, we've had to kind of tell Jerry to leave your brother alone. Johnny will be relaxed and he'll just come out of left field, like ah, or we're like, whoa. But it's been really, really fun. Animals bring a lot to our family. So a little personal question. Uh, is it your your husband's name?

SPEAKER_01 6:44

Noah.

SPEAKER_02 6:45

Noah. Kids down the road?

SPEAKER_01 6:47

Uh yes, yes, but not now. Yeah. I mean, we're young. We've been married for almost two years now. And um, boy, that flew by quick. And we knew we wanted to wait a while. So right now we're just focusing on um developing our careers and getting established in life and adulthood, and we it's really important to us that we have like a stable, secure, comfortable home.

SPEAKER_02 7:12

And you know, statistically speaking, you guys actually got married young.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:16

Because a lot of a lot of kids wait till mid-20s until their careers are in place. So how was that like intentional?

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Yes and no. Um, we started dating in high school and within a month, like we were like, yep, this is it. We're getting married. We don't know when, but we will. And Noah ended up actually. I told him when we started dating, I'm like, I'm going to the University of Idaho. Like, this is my plan. And I'm like, you can tag along. Yep. You can, but I'm like, I'm dating to Mary, and you can deal with that or you can go.

SPEAKER_02 7:52

So from date, it was serious for you.

SPEAKER_01 7:53

It was pretty serious.

SPEAKER_02 7:54

What was his response?

SPEAKER_01 7:55

He's like, okay. Oh, so okay, and I'm a very outgoing person. No.

SPEAKER_02 8:02

And weird.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

And Noah is not. We are polar opposites. And so it's funny looking back, like how he's just he's perfect for me. And so it's so funny looking.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:17

It's funny looking back and seeing how just yeah, he was just as serious as I was, which is not normal for a teenager.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

No, young, yeah. Well, that's cool. You know, and I know I think of immediately uh Kayla and Tristan, they're central grads. Now, uh, if she watches this, Kayla, you're getting old. She's been graduated for a little while. I want to say five years. But they they started dating in high school or middle school. High school, I think it was. And just they got married young because they knew. Yeah. And it sounds like that's been the same for you.

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Well, when Noah decided not to be in college anymore, because we did end up, he went to WSU and I went to U of I. So 10-minute commute.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Yep, nice.

SPEAKER_01 8:57

And um when he decided college wasn't his jam and he wanted to go back to work, sure. That was very, very hard for me because we had never been apart. We were, you know, we grew up four minutes away from each other. He moved back here, and so I finished my semester at WSU, and that's what brought me to Central.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

And that's also when the tragedy happened.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

So my freshman year was when those students were brutally killing.

SPEAKER_02 9:20

I oh, I get chills because uh I remember talking to your mom, and oh wow. Yeah, it was it was terrifying, but so the stars kind of aligned in some crazy ways to bring you back.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so yeah, we um kind of figured it out, and I had some really hard conversations with my parents about wanting to move back, and they're like, you need to be in school. Okay. And I'm like, I will be in school, but I'm good. You have my word, but I'm gonna do what I want to do. And so we started, we bought some land and started building, and when I moved home, Noah proposed.

SPEAKER_02 9:53

And so then see, this is what I love about I want to have more young people on to hear these powerful stories. Because what do we, what do we, older, you know, I just I don't listen to the nonsense. And sure, is there some of it, oh young people they don't want to work and they don't want no, I you know what I see? I see you. And I I see so many examples of this. That's what I like to focus on. So good for you.

SPEAKER_01 10:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:17

And that speaks to Elizabeth who's probably watching parenting and all of that good stuff.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

I give my parents a lot of credit for how I turned out. Sometimes they don't like it when I'm not on their not in their good graces.

What Pulled Her Into Design

SPEAKER_02 10:30

They're like, My son's 35, and there's you know, we're we're always like, really? You know, but um, yeah, good for you. Thank you for that introduction. That's so how about a question? All right, okay. You've stepped into adulthood, marriage, and your career. What's this season of life been like for you?

SPEAKER_01 10:54

I would say hard. It's been hard. Um it's also been pure joy and very confusing because we're not doing anything traditionally, right? I mean, to a to a sense we are, but we're very young.

SPEAKER_02 11:11

You got married young, so that is not traditional, but traditional in that I would say traditional, you you know, you're getting your careers going, you got married, but it is non-traditional in that I think the average age for couples to get married is like mid-late 20s, 30s sometimes. Yeah, and you guys got married, you were how old?

SPEAKER_01 11:31

I just turned 20. I was freshly 20.

SPEAKER_02 11:34

So that's the non-traditional, but intentional.

SPEAKER_01 11:37

Yeah, yeah. We were very serious about it.

SPEAKER_02 11:39

It wasn't like, oh, we got married, or I don't know if you know the term shotgun marriage, you're pregnant, you better get married. It wasn't that at all.

SPEAKER_01 11:45

No, no, it wasn't. And we both had, like I said, we had built a home, we both had very stable jobs, like the everybody's always like, Oh, we can't afford to get married. And I'm like, well, if you can afford to live on your own, you can afford to be married. Like the Oh my god, you know, there's just no, I mean, I don't I don't think that's a good excuse personally. That at least I didn't use it as one.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

Yeah, yeah. Interesting. But um So you said it's been hard. Describe hard.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

Um, well, I mean, number one, we don't have a lot of friends that are married, like we don't have that community of like, you know, you see on the movies, or even like what I saw with my parents, like just the people's hanging out. Yes, and so because kids your age, they're dating, maybe and also too, like we have friends that are also married who might have kids, and then we also have friends that live at home with their parents, like everywhere in between, like these early 20s, especially our generation, just with more people are getting married and then other people aren't, like, there's just such a big melting pot full of all of it, and so it's kind of hard to figure out like where is our place in life, and have not having that heart of keeping up with the Joneses, which is very hard for us because we're both very entrepreneurial, and um, and so you know, wanting it all now, but also being humbled by like we're young and we have time, and we just need to enjoy life.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

You guys are like 10 years ahead of, you know, if we're comparing, but like you guys are like in your 30s in a lot of ways with where you are. You you own a home, you own land, you both are entrepreneurs, you're you're like highly driven. That's commendable. Tell me tell me about Noah.

SPEAKER_01 13:33

He is one of the hardest working people I know. He um is my rock in so many ways. Like, I just I'm very outgoing, energetic, all the things, and he is so good at just reeling me in. It'll be like my because my sister is 10 years younger than me. I feel like sometimes I'm a middle schooler all over again, and Noah will be like, dude, knock it off. Yeah, like and reels me back in a little bit. I feel like a mother in a lot of ways. Right? Noah's sibling is one of his siblings um is very young. She will be five.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 14:13

And um, and so you know, we both have we both grew up with having siblings that are so much younger than us. And so, in a way, it's nice because then we don't feel like we've gotta put the throttle on having kids, like we can just enjoy being married and have that, you know.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

Did you feel like you you had to grow up faster?

SPEAKER_01 14:37

Uh yes and no. I mean, I think just I mean, I think just like life did that, I guess. But um yes and no. I mean, my sister and I still have that sisterly relationship, it just looks different. Yeah. But she comes over to my house, we have sleepovers, I pick her up from school.

SPEAKER_02 14:55

Oh wow. And what a model she has and her big sister.

SPEAKER_01 14:59

She uh she gives me a really hard time.

SPEAKER_02 15:02

But okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

She's she's a crack up, and uh yeah, she's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 15:06

But super cool. You want to do another question?

SPEAKER_01 15:09

All right.

SPEAKER_02 15:10

This one will be cool to hear about. Uh so what drew you into design? I ask what what was your why, right? And and that building something like Homestead Design Company, your your company you started. What's your why for all of that?

SPEAKER_01 15:27

That is such a large question. Yeah. Um, well, I mean, I think it just kind of has been an innate part of me. I've always been super creative. I was the kid that would watch HGTV with my parents. Oh wow. I was hooked on Fixer Upper. Okay that became like this visual thing for me to manifest. And like, if I can bring Ellensburg something like Magnolia, that it would be that would be my pride and joy. Okay. But um, yeah, I just I I cannot put words to how passionate I am about design. Like, I really that's my why. I'm so passionate about it.

SPEAKER_02 16:06

But so I'm gonna challenge you a little bit. Why? What what brings you joy about bringing that to people's homes?

SPEAKER_01 16:16

Well, I love being a problem solver. If you know me on a personal level, you'll know like I'm a fixer. I love love to problem solve. I'm not always amazing at it and personality. But you want to do it, but I want to do it. Yeah. And I'm a vi I'm a go-getter. Like, if I see something I and I want it, like I will make it happen. And so um, I think just the the creative outlet, but I'm not I love being artistic, but I like applying logic to it. And so there's that beautiful, yes, there's that beautiful fusion of creativity and um yeah, logical application to design that I just love. And I love helping people. I've always always my parents both raised me to help other people and be a servant to others.

SPEAKER_02 17:09

Okay. So we're getting there.

SPEAKER_01 17:11

I love helping people, and I love And that comes from your family. Yeah, absolutely. And it was always like, oh, I want to be a vet or I want to do this. And I was eight and I didn't know what I wanted, but um I don't know if we ever did but um yeah, I just always knew I wanted to help people, and then I learned like I really want to do something creative. I don't want to be at a desk job all day, yeah, and that's just not how I'm wired. And so this career path is just such a great outlet for me. I get to be involved in the community, I get to meet new people, and I get to help people.

SPEAKER_02 17:46

What's been your favorite project since you started your business?

SPEAKER_01 17:53

That's a good question. Um, well, aside from my own home, because I have loved how as we've grown in that house, I've loved how it's developed. Because it takes time. It's not like uh, oh, we work together for a year and all of a sudden your house is perfect. Like some of those things take time.

SPEAKER_02 18:11

And uh you're in the country, where are you guys at?

SPEAKER_01 18:14

We are across the street from uh Mountain View Park.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

Oh, okay. All right, okay.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

Yeah, so we're right around the corner from my family, yeah, my grandparents are down the street, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 18:25

Nice. So that that's uh your why really comes from family, helping others, being a servant. And I like when you talk about um how you don't want to just design for the sake of making it pretty, you also want to make it functional.

SPEAKER_01 18:41

Yeah, because good design is not one or the other, it can't function and not um be attractive to you. Like you just naturally, whether you like pretty things or not, you naturally gravitate towards things. And so um I feel like yeah, you just you can't have one without the other and feel comfortable in your own home or your workplace.

SPEAKER_02 19:07

That's um me and Katrina, you know, you just got a tour. It's like we I well, it's important for me to feel comfortable, safe at home, right? If you look at the definition of home, I want to feel at home with whatever we do with our place. How do we do?

SPEAKER_01 19:22

I think you'd agree. Okay, I love it. I love I love the combination of the place and home and very good.

SPEAKER_02 19:31

Your kitchen's my favorite. Really? Yeah. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 19:35

I love sitting in the little chairs.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

Okay, that I love. I hate the kitchen itself. The it would if if we do a remodel, it would be the kitchen first. But that is the sp that's interesting you say that. I kind of lurch back. And if Katrina watches, because I don't cook anymore because I hate the kitchen, it's kind of an excuse, maybe, in some ways. But we do spend so much time in that room. We have Monday night dinner sitting at those little tables.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

I think that I think that's a part of the experience of coming into your home.

Debunking Design As A Luxury

SPEAKER_02 20:05

It absolutely is, and everyone would say that. Look at you, designer girl. Good job. Okay. I've got two more questions for you, and then we'll do the closing questions. Okay. You've talked about this a little, but maybe maybe pick some key spots. Yeah. What have been some challenges in building your career and your identity at this stage of life, which you've done a lot of uh changes?

SPEAKER_01 20:31

Yeah, in a short amount of time. Um I think the biggest in the business sense, the biggest change, number one, like there's this stigma around the design industry that you have to be a millionaire, you have to have a six-figure salary, you have to have this luxury taste. And we all think of the designer in the big city that charges an arm and a leg for an opinion.

SPEAKER_02 20:56

When I think design, I think it's gonna be a good thing. I do too.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

I do too. And so, I mean, that's just again a natural assumption.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

And so Well, and you think of it as a luxury.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

Absolutely. Well, I mean, it is a luxury. It's not, I mean, it is one of those things where, of course, not everybody can afford to make these updates and these changes, but I think that's where my role comes in on how can we make what you have work and um how can we make what you have be something that you love?

SPEAKER_02 21:25

And um within your budget. Absolutely, yes.

SPEAKER_01 21:29

And so I would say probably one of the hardest things is trying to find trying to debunk that stigma, like that, try to get rid of that influence in the area that you have to, especially in, I mean, we live in a trade dominant region. I mean, the most of the people in our community are not thinking about design. No, they're not. And you know, they're thinking about going to work, making sure that the cows are fed and all the things are taken care of.

SPEAKER_02 21:58

And so there But who doesn't want a nice place, right? To feel good in? Totally. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:04

Or like if you're an entertainer and you don't live in an entertaining kitchen, how can you do that?

SPEAKER_02 22:08

Right. So you're what you're bringing to the table, and I'm gonna say this, and I think it's a really uh key selling point of what you bring is one, a young perspective for maybe a young homeowner who doesn't have a ton of money. Totally. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 22:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:27

Right? You can see things in the way that they're gonna see it and maybe work within their budget.

SPEAKER_01 22:31

Totally.

SPEAKER_02 22:32

That's a beautiful thing. Yeah, because we're not, you know, we're me and Katrini, even where it's like, I think designer, I'm like, oh, but you know, hearing that maybe you could work with our budget, I'm like, oh, that could be cool. And and certainly you've said you've done some big projects. You're not you're willing to go to Suncadia and do that if needed, but you're also willing to kind of meet people where they're at.

SPEAKER_01 22:51

Yeah, that's my goal. I want we have some amazing.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

And that's part of you as a servant, as wanting to help people. That's super cool. Yeah. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 23:01

No, you're good. Um, but yeah, no, we have very, very talented designers in the area that do, I mean, they they serve Average Joe, they serve Cincadia, and we all have that same heart for serving people, but I really want to focus in this new season of business. That's what I want to focus on.

SPEAKER_02 23:21

And we need, you know, like I I'm saying this to you, and I say it to when I'm teaching in the classroom. I need our young people to lead. I need our young people to get out there and get busy in whatever area they're gonna do. Yep. And here you are doing it. So that makes my old guy heart happy. Like, because we need that, right? We need we need the up and comers to up and come. This is your last question.

SPEAKER_03 23:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 23:47

This has been good. What are you learning right now about creating a life you actually want, not just one that looks good on paper?

SPEAKER_01 24:01

Well, I don't think that I don't think there is such a thing as looking good on paper if you're really paying attention.

SPEAKER_02 24:09

But um describe it tell me what you mean by what you just said.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

Well, I mean, if you I always use like the highlight reel as an example. Like you look at my Instagram and Facebook, I mean, who's gonna share the disappointing moments of life?

SPEAKER_03 24:27

Right.

SPEAKER_01 24:27

And so if you consider your highlight reel your look good on paper, well, of course it's going to, but you also have to be human and recognize like, hey, those people still struggle, or those people might have had a bad week or whatever. And um, but I would say trying to find um, yeah, like I said, trying to find our place right now, like what are we doing? Especially, you know, like graduations here. What's this next season look like for homestead? Um, you know, kids are always a big question, and trying to figure out like what where God is leading us in that. And yeah, I just think that trying to find our place, it's we continue to be humbled when we remember, like, hey, we're not playing keeping up with the Joneses. And that's that's always been our hard part because you know we look at our how successful and hardworking our parents are, and we're like, gosh, we want that, and well, we have good jobs. No, it's not bad, but we're 21, we're 22.

SPEAKER_02 25:32

So um and you know, as a parent, and I think your your parents would agree, we just want the best for you, absolutely, right? But I could see where your your parents are successful, they've done really well, they're hardworking. So the little and and I'm guessing his parents the same thing, so you do kind of go, I need to be that. But what I'm hearing you say is we need to be where we are, and we don't have to try to you've said it a couple times. That's another old term, by the way, young soul, or old soul and a young body is keeping up with the Joneses. But you're you've said that a few times that you're reminding yourself that that's not what we need to do.

SPEAKER_01 26:11

And it's a daily thing because it's always like, oh, if we just had one more acre, or if we just had one more bedroom, or if we just had a newer car, then we could do this. And it's like, or or you know, we just sit with gratitude and just work hard on what we have right now, and God will provide.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

And that's one of my mantras in life is is being grateful for for what I have. You know, you you may know a little bit of my story, it was crazy. And so I, you know, like last night I went on a ride along with with Kevin Willett with the EPD, and the fact that I'm sitting in the front and not in the back, that's pretty cool. Yeah. But being grateful, but I wake up every and Katrina's the same way in our home, like we have a lot. We have much more than many have. And I'm hearing you kind of say that thing. Let's let's be grateful for what we have and do what we can in each day, maybe. Absolutely, and not try to go out there.

SPEAKER_01 27:08

Absolutely. And when we are, you know, sitting with our parents at the dinner table and we're talking about this, and we're they're saying, Oh yeah, well, you need to do this now, and you need to do this, or hey, I have this suggestion, and not that they're being pushy, but they just want to help. We're parents, and um, but when we sit and talk with our friends and they're like, Oh my gosh, what's it like having a home? What's it like? And then you hear that completely different perspective, and it's like, we are so blessed.

SPEAKER_02 27:35

So you're and and you know, from a parent perspective, I know your mom well, you know, like you're doing well, so let's get you to the next level. So that's what they're doing, which is great. But then you hear from your friends, like, wow, you guys are way out here, so that helps ground you. Not that you're not gonna keep driving forward and take that parental suggestion, sure, but just a reminder that we're we're doing pretty, pretty all right.

SPEAKER_01 27:59

We and our circle of influence, like you said, we have a great one. We have amazing friends, our parents are amazing, we have a great community behind us, and um, yeah, we're we're we're cooking along. Yeah, we're talking along.

Advice For Twenty Somethings

SPEAKER_02 28:13

Super cool. This has been really good. Okay. So imagine imagine you are talking to someone out there who is trying to figure it out right now, and they're in your age group, right? They don't know you. Maybe they're listening to this and they're they're trying to figure it out. So here's the question What would you say to someone in your age group who's trying to figure out life right now?

SPEAKER_01 28:40

I would I would ask them what they're passionate about. I would ask them what they want their life to look like. Um when I know when I was younger, a lot of people assumed that I got my first job because I was related to my boss because I was only 15, 14. And I met her at the career fair at the high school, and I asked her for a job, and she was like, Well, come back another time and we'll talk about it. And I came in after hours one day and I shook her hand, and um Renee was there, and I was like, I want a job shadow, I want to get you coffee. I want a job. They're like, Well, okay. So she's like, I'm going on site tomorrow if you want to come. And that's I I think just asking, like asking for the order. I'm sure you've heard Bob Lepton say that a time or two. Like just asking, yeah, asking for what you want, selling yourself, and um, don't be cocky. I think that us young people tend to have that arrogance about things. Yeah, and I'm not here for one minute to fool anyone and make it a lot of things. It's interesting.

SPEAKER_02 29:47

I don't feel that from you at all. Like I see you're put together and you are your mom's daughter. I'm not comparing you, but you are who you are, but I don't feel arrogance from you. And I think that's an important thing to talk about because when I remember when I was young, I can kind of remember you kind of think you have it all figured out.

SPEAKER_01 30:04

Yeah. Oh, I'm on my own, and I'm and I'm don't get me wrong, it's felt like that at times, but um, and then you're humbled by uh some kind of life circumstance.

SPEAKER_02 30:14

Which you described what happened with you and was your boyfriend at the time, and um, and you you said something else that I think is really powerful is doing the ask, right? Is what do you uh my mantra is what do you got to lose by asking, right? And getting out there and maybe following up, right?

SPEAKER_01 30:30

Seriously, yeah. It doesn't hurt to ask. And just yeah, I think just self-reflection and uh finding out what Noah and I always say, you know, when we have kids, school gets pushed a lot now. It's like you gotta what are you doing when you're 18? And it's like you're 18 years old, you you might not know, and that's okay. And I would much rather support my child in um going out and finding out what they enjoy, get some work experience because I wouldn't be where I am if I didn't have the work experience. I would be looking for an internship.

Service Before School And Debt

SPEAKER_02 31:04

Hey, tell me this. So I'm I know this is gonna shock you, but I turned 59 this year because that is shocking. I know it is to me too in a lot of ways. You're 21. Tell me your view on this because I have this conversation. I believe if I was in charge of the world, that I would require young people, and this is the truth, what I believe, to do one or two years of something right out of high school, whether it be um civil service, AmeriCorps, military, or some community-based service. What do you think about that?

SPEAKER_01 31:36

I think it uh is amazing. Like I think that I I think that yeah, when you're young and you don't know what you want, or maybe you do know what you want, go explore that idea first.

SPEAKER_02 31:47

Don't study abroad, yes, something.

SPEAKER_01 31:49

Yes, or even just like get a job in town. I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah. Find find a way. And I just, yeah, I think that if we were more exploratory about our interests and not pushed into something, because I have I know way too many people that have a degree that they're like, I don't know what I'm doing with this after I have an MRS degree, which there's nothing wrong with that. Sure, sure. But my husband and I are both also very focused on being financially stable. And who wants to walk out with a degree that you just paid a ton of money for? Now you're in student loan debt and you don't know what you want to do with it. And so I think that being inquisitive when you're young and taking the time, you can always go to school, you can always go into a trade.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:36

There's yeah, there's never a bad time.

SPEAKER_02 32:39

So these are follow-up questions, and and I have a young person in front of me. What what's your view on our current society of it's either got to be this or that?

SPEAKER_01 32:49

I think I I've never been one for extremes. I think everything is good in moderation.

SPEAKER_02 32:54

What are people your age saying about those of us in my age group who have done this, who have created this?

SPEAKER_01 33:01

I I mean, I think that we all look up to the older generations in our life and looking at like, wow, like that's powerful. That is that's what we want. But I think the hard part is just getting there and you know, always having that impatience and that arrogance sometimes of just like I want it now. And I'm like that too. I'm a very impatient person.

SPEAKER_02 33:24

But when you have- You're you're impatient, and I'm being real transparent here. You're you might be impatient, but you're also willing to do the work.

SPEAKER_01 33:32

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:32

It's not you're impatient and I want to be the boss now. Yeah, you're impatient, and you know what, I'll start my own business and I'll put in the work and I'll create the connections. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 33:41

I think there's a difference, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:43

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:44

But yeah, I think just being humble about it and taking the time. I've yeah, it's just I think it's just life. I mean, life isn't there's not one right way. Everyone's different. We all have our own way.

SPEAKER_02 33:58

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:59

So I think just embracing that super cool.

SPEAKER_02 34:01

You you I I might have to go through this and pull out key words because you you said a lot of keywords throughout this talk. And I don't know if you prepared for this talk.

SPEAKER_01 34:11

No, I mean, I took some notes that I was kind of hoping to refer to, but you've said uh remain humble.

Why Dr D Chose Central

SPEAKER_02 34:19

Yeah, I don't know if you've said specifically remain grounded, be grateful, um, work hard, be driven, um, do the things, right? And look at you. You're a bright, shining example of the early results. Like you're 21. Yeah, you're 21. So I'm really excited as you continue on to watch your journey. You know, um, I obviously get updates from your mom. We follow each other on social media. Um, I'm I'm really proud of you from an old guy sitting in the room, um, and from someone who's known you for a long time. Um, and kudos to all the people that have influenced you along the way, including your parents. Okay, so here we go. This is it. What's something you've always wanted to ask me?

SPEAKER_01 35:03

Um, what brought you to central?

SPEAKER_02 35:05

Oh, perfect. What brought me to central? What brought me to central was um I shifted careers in 2007, 2008. I had gone to a community college years prior to get into the counseling arena. So I started in that arena and I had to go finish the degree. So I went to Central. Um, some know this story. My only goal for going to Central was to get that piece of paper, the bachelor's degree for certification and all of that.

SPEAKER_01 35:34

But now you're teaching.

SPEAKER_02 35:35

Right. So here's the rest of the story. So while I was earning my bachelor's, um, my advisor said, Hey, we've got a newer master's program. I said, Hey, that's great, I'm good. Because I was I worked successfully and I'm I'm on both sides of the table. You don't have to go to college, you don't have to go to trade school, you can do whatever the heck you want. I don't care.

SPEAKER_03 35:55

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 35:55

And I had worked with a GED for years, but I was in the counseling arena for certain, you know, get the degree, and it was great. I had a great experience, and he brought up this master's degree. I'm like, mmm, kind of like you, the stars life was shifting in different ways. I'm like, okay, maybe, maybe this is because then he said you could also apply for a teaching assistantship. My Johnny German Shepherd ears kind of tilted to the side. And from the day I walked in the classroom, I knew what I wanted to do. That's what brought me to Central.

SPEAKER_01 36:24

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 36:25

Yeah, I love I love teaching, I love working with young people, helping them get to their goals. And I think you know this about me. My job as a college professor does not begin and end in the classroom. I love like mentoring and helping in whatever way.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

And I love your personality in the IT.

SPEAKER_02 36:46

IT manager.

SPEAKER_01 36:47

Yeah, like it just it's so, it's so, it's just different. Like you walk in, you didn't walk down the hall and you're all dressed up, and then you got your Crocs on and you're doing rock and roll down the hall. It's awesome. I love that.

SPEAKER_02 36:59

And that's kind of that's I'm not the only one. You know, we're IT management. We are a bunch of faculty and staff who either have or are still currently working in industry. My wife and I own a preschool. I had a wedding business until just two years ago.

SPEAKER_03 37:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:15

Um, and I'm not the only story like that. I think we're we're not the only department like that, but we're pretty unique. And that many of us are very unique. Yeah, have worked in industry, we're real world. And if the college president is listening to this, he might go, oh God, he wouldn't. But um, you know, I if a student sits down and talks to me and they say, you know, I don't think this is for me, I'll have an open conversation. I even have open conversations. Maybe this isn't the major for you. Let's help you find the major.

SPEAKER_01 37:42

Absolutely. And I think that learning from people who have that experience is so valuable. Yeah. So valuable. You learn so much.

Final Thoughts And Goodbye

SPEAKER_02 37:50

Yeah. This has been great. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:52

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

Okay, now I usually do a hug. If you don't want to, it's okay. Okay, good. This has been good. Yes. Super cool. I'm super proud of you. Thank you. Yeah. We did it. Okay.