Skimpies Founder at Mamas Making It

Last week, I had the honor of speaking at the Mamas Making It Summit, and I walked off stage feeling something I don’t always feel after big moments: clarity.

The heart of my talk was simple—but it’s something so many of us forget, especially as founders, creators, and mothers:

You don’t learn by staying safe. You learn by going out into the world.

Your Brand Can’t Grow in a Vacuum

We live in a time where it’s easy to hide behind screens. To overthink captions. To tweak decks. To wait until things feel “perfect.”

But perfection doesn’t teach you anything.

Your brand is not a static logo or a color palette—it’s a living, breathing thing. And just like a person, it has to go out into the world, interact, stumble, speak too loudly sometimes, miss the mark, and adjust.

You don’t find your voice in your Notes app. You find it by using it.

Test Your Talking Points—Out Loud

One of the biggest lessons I shared is this: You have to test your talking points in real life.

Go speak at events. Host IRL gatherings. Talk directly to your community. Say the thing you’re not sure about yet and see how it lands.

When I built Skimpies, I didn’t sit behind a screen trying to engineer the perfect brand message. I went live. I talked. I listened. I paid attention to what made people lean in—and what made them scroll past.

That’s how brands are built: in conversation, not isolation.

Make Mistakes (No One Cares)

Here’s the truth we all need to hear more often:

No one cares if you mess up.

They care if you’re real.They care if you show up.They care if you keep going.

Mistakes aren’t failures—they’re data. They tell you what resonates, what doesn’t, and where to go next. You can’t optimize what you never try.

If you’re waiting to feel “ready,” you’re delaying the very thing that will make you ready.

Stop Hiding. Start Living.

Your brand needs you out in the world—talking, testing, connecting, adjusting. It needs to be seen, heard, and felt. It needs room to evolve.

So stop hiding behind a screen. Stop waiting for permission.Stop trying to get it right on the first try.

Go out there. Say the thing. Host the event. Talk to the people. Make the mistake.

That’s where the learning is.That’s where the growth is.That’s where the magic happens.

And if you take nothing else from my talk at Mamas Making It, take this:

You won’t find what works until you’re brave enough to find out what doesn’t.