002 : Get To Know Maddie!!

Podcast Show Notes

Jan 12

In this episode, we talk all about who our host, Maddie, is and what got her to where she is today! Maddie is a wife, Wedding Photographer and Business Owner, mom of a 7 month old baby boy, and Christian woman with big purpose in Jesus. She tells us all about her experience moving into the entrepreneurship world, her fails and her wins, finding her Jesus-filled purpose in work, and life as a mom. We talk about her insecurities, things she's proud of, and let her invite you into a place of encouragement in the season of life you are in while listening to while speaking on her life experiences. Listen to be encouraged by Maddie!

Interview Style:

Kaitlin, - “What led you to where you are now?”
1. Maddie - “I love this question because it lays the foundation of where I am now. I want to invite you into a conversation of where the Lord had me and where he has me now. Here is the spark notes version.
  1. Went to college with hopes of being a teacher. The Lord changed those plans and I changed majors halfway through Freshman year of college. Graduated a few years later with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
  2. Went and worked in what I thought I wanted to do, the Lord wrecked those plans, and then put the desire in my heart to start something ministry based and that turned into a photography business I built from the ground up.
  3. That photography business turned into something way bigger than I could have ever imagined. I got to photograph hundreds of weddings, couples, families, etc.
  4. Started mentoring other photographers and entrepreneurs. It takes a village and I want to Rally behind other entrepreneurs to cheer them on and help them tackle areas in their business.
  5. The Lord laid the dream in my heart to go deeper for creative entrepreneurs. We Started The Refined Creative!!!
  6. Found out I was pregnant, became a mom, and my life was wrecked in the best way possible.
  7. The Lord changed the plans about The Refined Creative in mine and Kaitlin's hearts, we rebranded, and it now has become what you all know as The Refined Sisterhood!!!”

Kaitlin - “What is one thing about yourself that you are really proud of?”
1. Maddie - “The way I always see the good in people and I love how well I love people. The desire of my heart is to love people like Jesus loves. I always want my actions to point to Jesus.”
Kaitlin - “What is one insecurity you have that you have worked through to feel confident?”
1. Maddie - “oNe insecurity I have that I have worked through to feel confident would be BOUNDARIES and how to say no. I am not perfect at this and don’t think I ever will be but I am committed to always get better at this."
  1. “I am an Enneagram 3 wing 2 - Wanting to do it all and don’t want to let people down
  2. At the beginning of the year, I wrote down ‘let the King of my heart be the echo of my days.’ The Lord has been revealing to me that every yes I say is a no to something else. i truly Felt the Lord pressing on my heart, ‘Maddie, what do you want the echo of your days to be?’ Do you want it to be that you did it all? That you hustled? That you got it all done? Or do you want it to be that you were a mom that was peaceful at home and provided a safe place. A wife that was present? A daughter, sister, and friend that was intentional? Business owner that was on mission for Jesus? He continues to reveal to me ‘what are your yes’s to, maddie and are there some things you need to be saying no to?’”
Kaitlin - “What is one piece of advice you would give to our listeners?”
1. Maddie - “To Live a life of intentionality. It holds so much weight for yourself and the people in your life when you are living with such intention. In everything you do let it be intentional and serving. Whatever season of life you are in, be intentional and don’t wish it away. The season of life you are in, someone might be praying for that exact season. Let everything you do be intentional and be serving to the Lord. Really reflect on what you want the echo of your days to look like. Do you want it to be that you said no to the things that didn’t hold a lot of weight in your life or do you want it to be that you said ‘yes’ to the things that hold a lot of weight like your relationships and conversations.”
Kaitlin - “give us an example of what serving other people through intentionality looks like.”
1. Maddie - “Being in a season of becoming a mom, you have a lot of ropes to learn. My personality makes me want to do it all but doing it all isn’t my priority anymore. There were so many times where I so desired to be in relationships with other people like I used to (pre baby) and how I could drop absolutely anything to be there for someone.”
2. Maddie explains a time where one of her best friends, Selena was incredibly intentional in conversation and just by knowing her love language. “I had expressed that I wanted to make dairy free pumpkin bread but I literally had no time. I said in conversation, not really thinking anything of it, that I would love to bake it but because of being a new mom and being in a busy season, I didn’t know if it was going to happen. A few days later, I got a text from Selena saying ‘I left something on your porch for you. Didn’t want to tell you I was coming because I didn’t want you to feel pressured to say hey.’ It meant so much to me that she went out of her way to do something for me that I had been wanting to do but didn’t have the time because being a new mom and being in busy season in your business is no joke. It also meant so much to me that she didn’t even text me until she was gone so I wouldn’t feel pressured to stop what I was doing and hangout with her, have a conversation with her, etc. She gave me so much freedom in the way she went about it. The intentionality she showed spoke straight to my love language.”
3. Maddie gives the encouragement to listeners to know your friends and know how to be intentional and love them through their love language - have a note in your phone with your friends coffee order, send an encouraging text, etc.