Hi, and welcome to another episode of The Real Life Momz podcast. I'm your host, Lisa Foster and real life moms is all about connecting moms through meaningful conversations and powerful stories. I believe that moms are so much more than just moms. We each have our own unique strengths and superpowers, and my strength is inspiring others.
In this podcast, we wanna help empower you to tap into your unique strengths and become the best version of yourself while teaching your kids to do the same. You will hear real life stories of moms just like you, who have unlocked their potential and now wanna share their wisdom with you. So let's get started on this week's episode.
Today I'm joined by Inbal Claudio, who's an amazing mother of. Three. And who's empowering women entrepreneurs through her social media platform, Like-Minded Collective Inbal, I'm so grateful to have you here on this show today and for all the work you're doing for women in the community. Oh, thank you so much for having [00:01:00] me, Lisa.
I'm excited to chat. I would love the listeners to get to know you more. So could you share a bit about yourself and what really brought you to wanna help women entrepreneurs? Sure. So, um, I am originally from Israel and I grew up in Orange County. Um, spent the majority of my life there. Um, I met my husband here and I started a candle company, um, about seven years ago.
So, And did a really good job at kind of building my clientele here from my network that I had already built, um, basically my whole life. Mm-hmm. And then, uh, three months later, my husband was in the Marine Corps and he got selected for special operations. So we moved to North Carolina and I had to rebuild on the other side of the country, which was fine.
About a year later, my first daughter was born and I had to completely pivot to more of an online space. I couldn't do shows or farmer's markets anymore. So, I came up with this idea to create a social networking platform just for women because I found [00:02:00] that for starters, I had no entrepreneur friends, and everywhere I looked online, whether it be influencer marketing platforms, Facebook groups, female communities, Everybody was charging and nobody let you talk about your business.
It was all restricted, and I felt like I was a dollar sign to everybody. Nobody really cared about me as a person. They just wanted me to hire them. So I was like, this is insane. There's millions of women like myself who are just starting out that really need a community. Of women who want to build genuine friendships and then obviously thrive in business together.
Um, and so that's what I created like-Minded Collective for. So it's a social networking platform just for women. We have free community, free networking, free workshops, and it's just. Like, my passion is to just help women as much as I can. And aside from that, I'm a mom of three, like you said. I have a four year old and a two year old.
Um, both girls and I have a three month old little boy. So, and we're back in Orange County, um, California. So I'm excited about that. [00:03:00] Oh my God. Okay. This is so impressive and also so needed, like, I need this so. I have to say I did join. I did join. I haven't actually put my profile fully in yet, but I'm excited about this collective because for me, I feel that women, especially when you get together with like-minded women, something changes.
There's this, this huge vibration, there's this hu huge support and it's just so inspiring to help. You know, move forward in those goals that you have. I, you just, those communities are amazing. Yeah, it's so special. And I mean, the connections that have been built through like-minded collective bogle my mind every single day.
Like women are meeting in person, they are doing podcasts, um, exchanges, they're meeting, um, to do accountability with one another. They're collaborating, they're referring business. They're just so supportive. [00:04:00] It's amazing. So like, I actually have three friends that I made through the platform coming to Orange County in October.
We're doing like a mini mastermind. So magic happens when women are in the same room together, and especially women that you have anything in common with, whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, whether you've raised money for your business, whether you're a mom, whether you're a military spouse. I mean, there is so many things that you can find community around on, like minor, collective.
So it's so needed. And yeah, when women come together, it's just magic. I love that saying when women come together that it's magic cuz it is. And what I find too is the amount of support, because I think especially in the business world, there's this worry of like asking for help or asking someone you know for something you're almost like afraid to or you don't wanna put that out there.
Or will they actually help me or tell me? What I find, especially in groups of women, [00:05:00] it's, it's just like, no, let me not only help you, let me mentor you. Let me connect you. Let me do this for you. So it is, it's so amazing. It is. And I think a lot of people are scared to ask for help because everybody is charging an arm and a leg now, so.
Mm-hmm. It's like if somebody messages you on Instagram, you're like, oh my God, what do they want? You know? Um, whereas if you're building connections through Likeminded Collective, you're going to networking events, you're actually making friends. So if you do have a problem, You voice note somebody that you've connected with, like they're more inclined to answer your question, you know, as opposed to if you meet them in a community where people are just posting and leaving, you haven't really built that connection with them.
So it's difficult. But the best thing about this is that. People really know that we put friendship before business. And so yeah, you can have those people that you message and you're like, Hey, I have a really quick social media question. Or like, Hey, what do you guys think about this? Or I wanna do X, Y, and Z.
What are your thoughts on that? And they're going [00:06:00] to respond genuinely. Um, and it's just the best way to grow your business and to help other people grow theirs. For the last like year in change, like 14 months, the platform was completely free because that was my intent. Like I knew that if I genuinely build this community based on just women and wanting to provide as many resources that I possibly can, that business will come.
Mm-hmm. And. I did that. I believe in that so much that that's how I grew my business myself, because I really truly believe that if you give, give, give, and people genuinely see that you're a good person, that they're gonna love what you're doing and they're gonna support you. And I find that even in like my podcasting community, I have a group of women that I met.
Through podcasting and we meet virtually, we're all over the country once a week and we talk about struggles that we're going through, how we can help each other out, and it's been invaluable. I mean, it's [00:07:00] just been so amazing to. Have this supportive network that we've developed friendships through, and we really do wanna help each other and see each other succeed.
So yes, this is such, it's a goldmine. What you're doing is a goldmine for so many reasons. Thank you. Yeah, it's, it's incredible how people, it's, it should come very naturally, but it doesn't, for people to really just invest time in, in other people, you know? Mm-hmm. Um, because they think, oh, I have to join all these communities.
I have to post in all of these communities when it's so much better to just find two or three that you really resonate with and spend time in there, go to their networking event. Message people who you find a connection with and just say like, Hey, do you wanna hop on a coffee chat? And always, always, always invest in other people first.
Ask people about their story, their business, what you know, how you can help them. And just spend time doing that and [00:08:00] making other people feel important. And you'll build such incredible communities to where you can. Have a zoom once a week with, you know, five to 10 other women and just thrive in your business.
So it's so important to have those people because I was in a mastermind and the most valuable, um, asset of the mastermind was the brainstorming. Truly believe in that. Totally. I just came from a three day course that was amazing. Um, about. Impact and income basically. And, but the real beauty came from the breakout groups that where you had to meet with two or three other women and really think together and there were there.
It was amazing. I came away from that just through days. Totally changed, so. Mm-hmm. I totally agree. In this community, it's, it's so important. Now you did touch on networking. Okay. Let's talk about networking. Cause networking and business is so hard to put [00:09:00] yourself out there, and I think, I think it's, it's just something that's really difficult to do, but you have some feelings about this, like there's some misconceptions about networking.
So what should we be doing? Yeah. So I'll tell you what I do. Everybody you know who's listening can take or leave whatever they want or what doesn't feel comfortable for them. I will start off by saying that I am an introvert, so it is difficult for me to put myself out there and I'll tell you that practice makes it so much easier.
So first and foremost, you have to show up. Like there is no question you have to show up whether you have kids at home, whether you can't be on video, you know whether or not you have like 10 minute, just show up. And just connect. So make sure that you practice your pitch and just remember that when you do have a pitch and you say it, it might come out wonky, but practice will make it perfect and it may change constantly, and that's okay.
And then just see who you resonate with. So maybe their business isn't something that could [00:10:00] benefit you, but you like them as a person, or they're also a mom, or they're also a military spouse, or they also have a podcast and then just message them on Instagram. So what I say is, Hey, you know, nice connecting with you, or Nice meeting you at so-and-so's networking event.
And then they'll hopefully respond. And then I usually, because I love building community and collaboration, I usually say like, reach out if I can ever help with anything, community or collaboration related. Mm-hmm. Give them a reason to reach out to you again. And some people will be like, oh, like what ideas do you have for collaboration?
You know, and so I just start that conversation. I would also try to find some way to share about them. So, you know, pick like five people. That you've connected with over the past week and say like, Hey, what can I share about your business on my social media this week? It makes them feel like, oh wow. This is so nice.
They're taking the time to help me out, and then most likely they're gonna reshare the post. So you're getting eyes on your business. That you wouldn't normally get. [00:11:00] So I like to take networking and just really utilize it for more exposure and to amplify other women's voices and businesses. So that's what I personally do.
And I love the fact that you're kind of shining a light on them. It, it changes things and then people want to do something for you as well, you know, and you're generally trying to help them too. And it feels good. Exactly, and like podcasts. What I saw somebody post, um, actually on like my collective yesterday was they were looking for podcast reviews.
And so somebody else mentioned, they were like, Hey, do you wanna do a review swap? And that's something that podcasters could put out there. Like, Hey, look for people who wanna do some review swaps where you're getting something and they're getting something and. It's beautiful when it helps everybody.
And let's be honest, everyone loves talking about themselves, right? So if you can ask somebody a question that will make them open up about themselves. Just naturally they're gonna [00:12:00] ask you about yourself. And if you ask them, Hey, how can I support your business? Or How can I, you know, do X, Y, and Z for you?
They're gonna, in return, hopefully, um, ask you what they can do to help you. So what you put out there is gonna come back in return, and I always do it first. I always ask, Hey, how can I support you? Tell me about your business follow up questions. You know, um, who can I connect you with? All this stuff. So it just makes people feel important.
And that's, that's the bottom line. That's what you wanna do. You wanna make people feel important. Totally. And I'm just thinking, so I also have a private, uh, cranial sacral therapy practice. And I'm in this right now doing, doing all this, where I'm trying to network and I want to, I want to know who's out in the community because as I see clients, I wanna make sure that I'm not this solo practitioner, but I'm, I'm actually.
Referring out to the community so we could work as a team. You know, I feel like that's important for my personal patients. And so what I do is I [00:13:00] go and I reach out to the community and I say to whoever I'm meeting, like, yeah, exactly. Tell me about your business. What type of patients do you like to see?
How can we work together? Who do, who can I refer to you and in return they're asking the same thing of me, so, mm-hmm. Exactly. Going out there and really reaching out to the community and seeing. See how you can help, basically, how you can help each other. Right, because that's, that's what it's all about, helping each other.
Exactly. Yeah. And you wanna make sure that you're not doing this with everybody, right? You wanna make sure that it's with people that really resonate with your mission, who have the same followers or users, um, cuz you do wanna benefit, right? You don't wanna put effort into something that's not gonna pan out or their audience is like, You know, 80 year old women who play big out.
You know what I mean? So you just have to be intentional. But that's the best part about networking events is you get to be in front of so many people that you just have a variety of people to choose from who works with you. And that's why I think putting a [00:14:00] realistic number on it, like five people a week mm-hmm.
Is so doable. And. Just kind of stick with that. And five people a week are more genuine connections, right? It's not these fake, right? Like if you have 20 people that you're reaching out to, that's exhausting, and I'm sure that's not gonna be coming from your heart either. So yes, exactly. That's a great point.
That's a great point. Yes. You wanna meet people that you're con really connecting with. There's so many ways too, like this is another idea that just came to my head. Mm-hmm. If you're a mom, let's say, and you're just trying to get, you know, more eyes on something that you're doing, so you could go to a Facebook group, like a big one and just post like, Hey, I'm looking to do, um, a zoom with some mom entrepreneurs, anybody.
In, like, I did this before, I got probably 300, 400 comments. I created a Google form, had them fill it out, and uh, about 45 people showed up to a Zoom. Oh my gosh. [00:15:00] Yeah. Yeah, it was crazy. Um, but it was amazing because we just got to share about each other. There were people nursing on the call. It was like very amazing to see just moms being so comfortable, um, on camera with their kids in the background.
Cuz usually as everybody who's listening, I'm sure knows like moms apologize for everything. Like, sorry about this, sorry, my kid's screaming. Sorry my kid's that. It's like, stop apologizing and just show up as you are. So. It created a space that everybody felt comfortable. And so that's another something that people can do, like looking for moms to just do a Zoom once a month.
And so a lot of people responded to mine, so that's an idea that people could use too. Now, here's my question. There's a lot of moms I think out there that feel kind of stuck, you know? Or they, they have an itch to do something, but it's just. They're fearful of actually taking that step forward. What do you say to those people who are listening right now that feel like that?
They like, oh, I wanna do this, but I'm kind of scared to do that. Message me on Instagram and [00:16:00] we can have a chat. Um, no. I mean, I think realistically it goes both ways, right? Moms who are scared to take the next step to start their own business, and entrepreneurs that are scared to take the first step in building a family.
Um, I will say this, that I. Came up with the idea when my daughter was three months old, I got pregnant with my second daughter when I was building this platform. She was born, I launched the community six months after she was born, and I just had a baby three months ago. So if you connect with somebody who's done it before, they can kind of give you some mindset pointers that can help you get through it.
It can be done 100%. Just do it and try to plan it out, you know? But be realistic. And communicate. So if your partner, um, you know, is working, then you say like, Hey, I need, I would like to do this. What kind of scheduling do you see working for our family? Um, for me to take some time to [00:17:00] myself to start to build this, you know, business or, um, can we hire a nanny for me, book a couple hours, um, a day or a week or a month, whatever work.
But I think just being realistic and communicating will is definitely the first step cuz no one's a mind reader. Also though, connect with moms who are already doing that. Like I said, message me on Instagram, message other moms who are doing it. Ask them how they do it or you know, any advice that they can give.
And then just get in the room with people who are doing it. Join like-minded collective. Come to our free networking events, um, come to the workshops. Just put yourself in the room with other people who are doing it and just build a relationship. I think what you just said is so important because getting.
With people who have done it, is is very a inspiring cuz you see that it's done and they can give you such great advice and they want to, I, I know as a mom for myself, you know, starting a podcast, when people ask me about podcasting, oh my god, I wanna [00:18:00] tell them. Everything. Mm-hmm. I wanna help them. It's so fun to help somebody else and, and people really do want to help others, so I love that idea of whether it's on the like-minded collective or DMing you or just in their own communities, like getting around those people that have done it to inspire them to kind of step just that one step forward, really out of their comfort zone to get them unstuck.
Just to move a little bit Right. Exactly. To start it. Even if it's just as little as like, Hey, listen to this podcast, you know, I'm launching, um, like niche communities in like-minded collective, so, Everything from, you know, podcasters to moms, military spouses, product based businesses, um, just smaller communities for people to join and ask questions and connect.
So that would also be a really good idea just to get in the room with people who are like you. Maybe another mom who's kind of scared to do something and you guys are just [00:19:00] riffing with one another. That could be the, a great first step, and I think a lot of moms. Are scared. Not even just moms, women, people, anyone starting something new.
There's always a fear component. I don't know anyone who's just like, yep, gotta do that. I'm gonna do it. Let's go. Like, there's always something that's kind of like, ooh, you know, ready to stop you. And it's just if you decide to move past that obstacle or just. You know not. Yeah, absolutely. And I think also the fear comes from, oh, well I don't have a lot of money to start this, you know?
And I think that's also a huge misconception because you could even start a coaching business with just an Instagram page. So if somebody tells you to spend X, Y, Z amount of dollars, like run in the opposite direction. Um, because coach like this is exactly why I started this platform. You know, everybody wants you to hire them for something, but you can start a business with no money at all.
And so asking people how they did it, even like you can start a [00:20:00] podcast with your phone. I know people who have, so I'm on my phone right now. Exactly, exactly. Case in point. So you don't need to spend money. You don't need to have money to start a business and to be successful. You just need to know the right people to guide you in that direction.
There are so many options out there. You just have to network and connect with people who have done it. I have to say what I love about you is that you're not tech savvy, right? But yet you built a tech platform. So how did you overcome that obstacle of having this big thing in your way? Because. That's not your thing, but yet still doing it.
Yeah, that's a really good question. I've gone through four different developers. I went through eight different launch delays and it took me two and a half years from idea to launching, so it took a lot of heartache. However, I made sure that I knew what I wanted. I made sure to learn as I went. I. And I made sure to ask a lot of [00:21:00] questions and never settle.
The first developer he was at, he wasn't the developer, he was actually the project manager, and he said, you know, Al, you're looking for perfect and you're never gonna get that. And I basically cut ties with him. A day later, I started learning and talking to more people, and now I don't even work with the project manager, I just have my developer.
It's just me and him, and he's teaching me so, It took a lot of money, um, that was wasted, but you know, that's okay. But I just, I just jumped in. I just started asking questions. Now looking back, I would've really tried to connect with more women in tech and ask more questions, um, because I did kind of jump in blind.
That's why also, I love when people reach out to me cuz I wanna help, you know, I do offer coaching, so if somebody does. Like, need me to sit on a call with a developer with them, or like go through things with them. I'd be more than happy to do that. But yeah, if somebody has just like a simple tech question or, um, I'd be more than happy to help on Instagram, like voice chats if that's what they need.[00:22:00]
Honestly, I also am, I wanna call out myself tech impaired. Like I could barely like turn on the computer. Okay. There are times that it doesn't even go on, and I'm always. Thanking God that I get you on my podcast, my guest, because it, it's, it could happen that I don't, but same thing I just learned, you know, I Googled everything and I made a lot of mistakes.
I didn't put in a lot of money, but I did. Put in a lot of time. Mm-hmm. So when anybody is trying to do what I'm doing, I'm the first one to say, I don't want you to go through what I did. And I think a lot of us are there for people who are just starting out to help them through so that they don't make the same mistakes along the way.
But with that said, I think. What's great is that you do make mistakes. It's not perfect, but you still keep going and you keep learning. Like you said, you keep learning and you just put it [00:23:00] out there, right? Right, exactly. And like there's always gonna be somebody out there who can help you, and there's always gonna be mistakes that you're gonna make.
But the point is learn. And move on. You know, you also want to make sure, and I learn this the hard way, like I said, but you wanna make sure that you know what you're talking about when it comes to any aspect of your business. Like if you're launching a podcast and you're hiring out, you could hire out to help you manage that podcast and post.
But you better know like how to do it yourself, just basic, basic level, just in case something happens. Mm-hmm. Um, like I know. Right now my code is on one website and then I'm running through a different website and then my messaging is done on a different website and like my code is in 10 different places and I know exactly where they are and I know how to access them.
Do I know what to do with it? No, but I know how to access it. So in case my developer just like, you know, leaves town or whatever, Um, I'm still able to move on, so you just have to make sure [00:24:00] that to take some time, like you were saying, Google as much as you can. YouTube is a great resource too, and, um, just know the bare minimum of what you need to do and you, you should be okay.
You will be okay because you'll have the support. So what do you say is the best thing that kind of came from this whole platform for you personally? I am proud of myself for continuing. Like I said, I went through four different developers. I tried quitting like a million times, and thankfully I have a husband that didn't let me quit.
But I'm proud of myself for continuing, even though I did have children along the way. A couple cross country moves along the way, but I'm also really proud that I get to be the reason so many women get to connect and build friendships and just really thrive in their business. Because to me, my love language is connecting.
If I can create like a good business connection, I am in heaven. So, um, I love [00:25:00] that I get to just naturally do that. And it seems like you have such a, a huge purpose for these women to connect and that you helping them must be so fulfilling every day. Yes. I love it. Like if somebody meets in person and they send me a photo or post on Instagram, I'm just like, oh my God, this is so cool.
You know? Because it's hard as adults to make friends. It's hard as moms to make friends. It's hard as entrepreneur, it's hard. So if you're making friends as an adult mom, entrepreneur, like that is incredible. Yeah. And you did that and you did that. Yeah, it's, it's awesome. It's honestly the best, like when somebody, I've had somebody ask me like, what does success mean to you?
I'm like, I feel like I've already succeeded cuz I've made so many business connections for people and like that has have turned into friendships. Um, so it's awesome. It's so cool. So where can the listeners find you? I'm on Instagram at In Ball Claudio or the like-minded one at like dot minded dot collective, and the website is just like-minded collective.com.[00:26:00]
Um, you just need your name and email to sign up, so nothing else. And yeah, connect with me in there. On Instagram, we have one to two networking events every single month, and they're free. We do one workshop every single month that's also free, so just at any of the events. Ah, okay. I'm gonna be at one of those events, so you'll be able to see me.
The one thing that I did create on like-Minded collective is everything that I hated about. The opposite of everything that I hated about other communities. So other communities, you know, the workshops are either recorded or you're not allowed to talk, you're not allowed to ask live questions. Um, so what we do is everybody does an introduction.
So, Regardless of the event. So even in the workshops, people do like a 22nd pitch, um, about their business. So you're on camera, you're talking, you're connecting, you're networking at every single one of our events. So, um, I'll definitely see you and yes, we'll definitely connect. I love it. I love it. So what message would you like the listeners to [00:27:00] take away from our conversation today?
I just really want them to not be scared to take the first step and the first step may not always be the one that will take you to the second step, but at least take the first step in going towards your dreams. Well, thank you so much for coming on and talking to us, but also just really for creating this like beautiful space where women can connect and support each other in business.
Thank you, Lisa. I hope you are inspired by today's episode to take that first step on something you've been wanting to do and know that there's a community just waiting to support you and help you on your journey. Inbal is offering a 50% discount for the first month to her elite membership of Like-Minded Collective.
So just click on the link in the show notes to receive this offer and let's keep supporting each other. Our goal is to inspire 10,000 moms to take that first step and live the life that they desire. So share this episode with two of [00:28:00] your friends and help us achieve this goal.
