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Wanna Help Me Sleep Tonight, Make Some Money AND #FinishStrong?!

November 10, 2016 By Lindsay Gee

I stay up late. I stay up late a lot. Or wait…maybe it’s that I wake up super early? Hmmmm. Anyhow, let’s just say I work long hours, ridiculously long hours. And, you know what? I don’t mind one bit. I love what I do. Founding a company like Hot Mama, well…it’s a badge of honour I wear with pride. Incredible pride.

With 24 Hot Mama franchises now up and running, you bet your sweet buns I’m proud.

We empower women, inspire families, promote family fitness and build community. A community of women like no other. If you need a safe place to get fit or increase your fitness, if you need support as you struggle with Motherhood, or if you simply need a wild, crazy, silly authentically true group of women, Hot Mama should be your home.

My goal is to start a complete and total mass movement of family fitness with Hot Mama. I also want people to know that when they go to a Hot Mama business they will be welcomed with open arms, loving smiles and strong shoulders to lean on. I want all of that in every single franchise we open. Not only do we offer free classes to postpartum women to help combat postpartum depression, we provide incredible fitness programs and challenges and support and love and respect.

That’s Hot Mama. That’s who I am and that’s how I want to always be remembered.

So, I work tirelessly on this business. We have helped 100’s of women (if not 1000’s now) climb out of depression and anxiety. We have helped many women accept who they are. We have lifted women on the hard days and rejoiced with them on the good. I am so honoured and grateful that we have helped so many.

So what keeps me up at night?

I toss and I turn because I know there are women in communities that we currently do not have a location that desperately need us. Women who are in the depths of the darkness of postpartum depression. Women who have no idea how to begin their fitness journey. Women who are tired of being judged for their mothering choices and just want to find a safe place to land. Women who want to push and drive and dig and be role models of healhy living for their children. Women who want to drink wine, do burpees and laugh. Laugh a lot.

We have helped so many in the few franchises that we have. But, I know we have to help so many more. I know this is essential to who we are. I know the good that can be brought to a community with Hot Mama. I believe in us and what we do 100%. I believe in me. I believe in our franchise owners. I believe in our headquarters team. I believe in all the Hot Mamas in our community across Canada and now the UK. I believe.

So, I’m asking YOU to help us spread the word. We want to FINISH STRONG in 2016. I’m pushing to open at least 8 new franchises in the next two months. Gasp. I know, right? How can I do that? I’m going to ask YOU to help. I’m going to ask you to send people to our website and encourage them to apply for their own Hot Mama business. If you’re in the community and you know and love what we do, we’re asking you to think of at least three people you can send our way.

We can do a lot of good. But, we need you. I need you. I need help spreading the word. And, because I’m asking of something from you I’d love to offer you a referral of $500 – $1000 per franchise sale that you refer (um…they do have to purchase though, I can’t pay ya just to refer). That means if you refer someone to us by sending them our link www.hotmamafit.com/franchise, and they purchase before December 31, 2016…we are going to pay you. Oh yes we are.

So…do YOU know 3 people. Can YOU send 3 people our way that you think would embody love, support, community, fitness, role modeling and family? Do you know someone who is passionate about helping women, getting kids moving and is a lover of all things family? THEM. Those are the women we want to talk with.

Thank you. Thank you for reading this. Thank you for thinking about our community. Thank you for being you and supporting Hot Mama and all we are trying to push forward.

With incredible gratitude and much respect, I ask this favor of you. Please check out www.hotmamafit.com/FinishStrong for more information.

Please, help us spread the word so we can #FinishStrong in 2016

Why I Refuse to Apologize for High Expectations

November 4, 2016 By Lindsay Gee

There are moments in your life when you need to step back and reflect. You need to reflect hard. I mean turn into yourself and evaluate who you are, what you’re doing, the person you are and the person you want to be. These times and evaluations will be a product of another moment that will make you question everything. These are tough times. But, I’m recognizing that these moments are critical to growth. I’m embracing the reflection and loving my conclusion.

I’ve previously written about what it’s like to be an entrepreneur. What it’s like to be the Founder of a company like Hot Mama. It’s all-consuming, empowering, inspiring…it’s all I am. I can say that because my family is heavily involved in what I do. But, I need to be honest here, it’s also incredibly lonely.

Building an empire of women, amazing women, strong women, smart women, driven women…well, it’s an honour and one I don’t take for granted ever. But, it’s still my baby. If something goes wrong, I’m blamed. If they fail. I fail. If a promotion fails, it’s my fault. If a program flops, that’s on my shoulders. It’s a lot of weight and a lot of pressure, but I accept it and I carry the burden. Some days the burden takes over, it knocks me flat and presses me down hard into the earth. Some days I lift it over my head and sprint. That’s what being the founder of a company is like.

Recently I’ve had to reflect on the person I am becoming. Am I good person? Am I kind? Am I thoughtful? And, the truthful answer is…most times. Not always. And, that’s the growth and reflection I’ve had to make these past few weeks.

Am I the same person I was 4.5 years ago when I started Hot Mama? No. Absolutely not. And, do I want to go back to being that person? No. 100% absolutely not. Why? Because, that person didn’t have the dreams I have today. She didn’t see the possibilities and the opportunties. She didn’t believe in herself. She didn’t have a mission. That person had no idea how her little bootcamp classes could change the world. Because I have started to do that. And so help me, we will change this world. One Mama, one Mini, one family at a time.

And I’ll do it because I now have a strong squad of women behind me.

But, here’s the problem: Has the core person, the person who I truly am, changed so much that I don’t recognize myself any longer?

The answer: no. I know me. I recognize me. You may not, but I do. I’m here.

I’m me. I’m goofy and silly and quirky and I love to laugh. But, when it comes to my business, my expectations are high. My expectations are obscenely high. And, I’ve finally realized that I have every right to have them there. If I want to create a movement of family fitness, if I want to change 1000’s, no…millions of women’s lives…my expectations NEED to be high. I’m demanding in my business. I work tirelessly. I dig and drive and push. And you know what? I’m finally okay with being the founder of a company who’s a bit of a hardass.

Why? Because…it’s who I am. And not accepting this part of me would hold me back. I don’t want to be the person I was 4.5 years ago…I want to be me. Here. Now. As I am. In all my demands. In all my expectations. In all my gratitude. Because although I’m demanding and my expectations are high as the founder of a rapidly growing company, I’m also so freakin’ grateful. I’m grateful for the growth of my company. I’m thankful for the women who’ve joined me. I’m grateful for the Hot Mama themselves who commit to health and active living. I’m grateful that I get to be nerdy and silly and that I get to laugh at myself.

I’m 100% grateful for the person I am today. I refuse to question that any longer. There’s business Lindsay and there’s personal Lindsay. One may not recognize the other, but they’re both still who I am. They both have dreams and goals. They both work hard and strive for greatness. The change now is that I accept both parts of me. I fought the business side for so long, but acceptance means growth. And, I accept who I am. I love who I am. I’m proud of who I am.

When you dig into yourself and evaluate all aspects of who you are, greatness can happen. I am greatness. I am greatness because of the women standing with me. I am greatness because I believe in what I am doing. I am greatness because I have evolved and learned and grown into a person with exceptionally high standards. I am greatness because I finally refuse to apologize for dreaming big and making it happen. I encourage you to accept your greatness. It’s incredibly freeing.

I am so grateful for these past few weeks. For the hard questions I had to ask myself. I’m grateful that I had the courage and strength to actually look into myself. I’m mostly grateful that that courage came from the community I’ve helped build. It is because of you, my Hot Mamas, that I continue to grow and push myself. You may not recognize me in business mode, but you’ll always recognize me over a glass of wine and some peanut butter cups.

With mad respect and gratitude,
Lindsay (Your OHM)

Growing & Learning from Blame

October 12, 2016 By Lindsay Gee

I get blamed for a lot of things in this world. And, I mean a lot. Being an entrepreneur and the Founder of a company, you get used to it. Or, at least I like to tell myself I do. I get blamed for systems not working, promotions that didn’t work, low class attendance, hard days, long days, not-enough-hours-in-the-day days. I’m often blamed if people don’t achieve their fitness goals. I’m blamed when people feel inadequate. I’ve been accused of not fulfilling promises, not supporting enough, not doing enough, not being enough. And some day, some days, Mamas…it just wears you down.

I wake most morning at 430am so I can squeeze in everything that needs to get done. Honestly, if I wake later than that I know that I won’t get everything done and I start my day feeling behind. So, on days when I hear that I’m not doing enough, I seriously question how much more I can give. I’m just not sure how I could fit more in or how I could reorganize my day.

Yesterday was one of those days. I woke at 430 and wrote an article, which needed editing and pictures and blah dee blah blah. I then did a workout, got my kids to school, worked on an SEO course to help drive traffic to our Hot Mama sites. I worked on a few surprises for our franchise owners (shhh), then I shifted to a podcast course I’m taking (yup, I’ll be podcasting soon). Then I wrote an outline for my book. I answered franchise owners questions. I answered questions from our Hot Mamas. And on it goes. That’s the life of an entrepreneur.

I love it all, I truly do. But how can I fit more in? [Read more…] about Growing & Learning from Blame

Overwhelm Has Overwhelmed Me Today

October 3, 2016 By Lindsay Gee

You know those days when you realize you have so much on your plate you’re not even sure where or how to begin? Yeah, I’m there today. I’m so there. We have a lot going on with Hot Mama and that’s amazing, but it can also be extremely overwhelming.

Life and business and Motherhood…frig, there’s a lot of pressure. And no, I’m not writing this as a “whoa is me” at all, I’m writing this to let you know that you’re not alone. When you feel like you have 8000 things on your plate and you’re the only one who can do it? Yeah…I’m there. Or, there’s a list of 8 bajillion (it’s a number, ask my 6-year old) things that need to get done, but you need to rely on your team (or family or friends) to get them done but you’re not sure you can rely on your team to get them done so you start freaking out because who’s going to check on those 8 bajillions things that need to get done because now your small team is also a woman down (cuz she’s just had a baby) and you’ve just sold a bunch of franchises (YAY! Super mega-YAY!) and all the people involved in your life and business including both experienced franchise owners and new franchise owners and Mamas involved in your programs and your kids and friends and your family all deserve and need time with you but there’s so few hours in the day and I know this is a run-on sentence, but it could go on and on and on. Yeah…I’m there.

And then you get an email that asks “can you quickly…” or a text that says “sorry to bother you but…” or a phone message that says “I imagine you’re super busy so I won’t take much time…” and all you want to do it get up from your desk, walk away and fly to Mexico with your family. You know those days? I’m there. But, I would never do it because I’m needed. I’m needed right here. And, that’s gift and I don’t take this gift and this life of mine for granted. But, some days…it’s just so massively overwhelming.

And no, this isn’t a plead to stop messaging, texting, phoning, writing to me. This is my reality and I love it. I truly do. I wouldn’t change a thing. And if all of a sudden my phone was silent I would worry, so that’s not at all what I’m saying. All I’m saying is that some days are just incredibly overwhelming…and that it’s okay to feel like this. I give my self permission to feel like this. Because today is busy. Today is overwhelming.

Today I started to make a list of all that needed to be done, it looked a little something like this: Livestream, YouTube videos, write blog posts, create new fitness programs, encourage others, inspire others, be a Mom, be a business owner, be a Founder, start podcasting, write a campaign proposal, write a workout, write a recipe, write a fucking book. And my list goes on and on and on. And no matter what I do, it’s not enough. I’m not enough Mom. I’m not enough business owner. I’m not enough sister. I’m not enough friend. I’m simply not enough.

But how freakin’ amazing is all of that. I created this. I’m on this journey and you’re with me, right beside me. That’s mindblowing to me. Mind. Blowing. You’re here. And the busy-ness of my days is because I want to do more for you, for me, for my family. I want to be more. And YES…I KNOW that I’m enough. But today, it simply seems like I’m not.

So, how do we get through days like this? Days filled with lists and overwhelm? I dunno. Today I’m not. I’m writing this post. And I don’t know if I’ll post it or if this is just a rant I’m allowing myself to write but this has been the easiest thing I’ve done all day. Writing about overwhelm. I can write about this all day. All. Day. Because that’s how long my list of to-dos is.

Super odd sidebar: I wish people understood that even though you think I’m successful, I feel I’m not. I’m not even close to where I want to be. If you look at my life and you think “yeah, she’s got it going on”…think again. I struggle. Every day I struggle. I know there are people out there that don’t wish me well and I try not to think about them, but I do. I give them too much of my thoughts and my energy. But how do you stop when you care so much? How do you cap this complete feeling of overwhelm? And battling against the naysayers and the people who say they get it but don’t?

What can I do? I can write. I can exercise my gift of writing (although this post seems to just be more of me vomiting my emotions). There’s no ground-breaking information in this post. I’m not sharing a workout or a recipe or an inspirational quote. I’m sharing with you the fact that although my life’s goals are to build an empire, raise my kids, and be a good person, today I’m just desperately trying to survive.

Being an entrepreneur you live with a fairly high level of overwhelm every day, but today just seems exceptionally…um…overwhelming. Some days are honestly, hell. My mind doesn’t stop. Think about this: when you wake at 3am, most of your turn right back over and fall back into slumber. Me? On a day like today? My mind starts going. Who can I help today? What tools can I provide to someone that would help get them off their butts and moving? Who haven’t I spent time with lately? Who needs me? What else can I do? When will I get that done? Or this done? Or that thing over there done? Or that thing my team has been hounding me about…when will that get done? How will that get done? What systems can I put in place to get that done? How can I help more? Be more?

This feeling of overhwhelm doesn’t hit me often, and it usually happens before something unlocks and something big happens…but in this moment, I would give anything to be through it. Tomorrow I’m sure I’ll wake with a clearer head and a “doable” to-do list. But today? Today I struggle and I know there are others out there struggling with overhwhelm right along with me. I simply wanted you to know that you’re not alone.

So, we’ll fight through this today. And tomorrow we’ll come up with a plan. But today…today we survive. We do our best. We accept that it’s not all going to get done. We accept that we’re going to disappoint people. And we accept that we’re going to also inspire people. We also accept everything in between.

My goal every day is to survive and inspire. Today the focus is purely survive. And survive I will. There’s no other option. BAM!

I’ll kick you in the teeth tomorrow, Mr. Overwhelm. You’re winning this round. But I’m going to take the entire match.

Let’s go, Mamas. Let the overwhelm wash over you, accept it. But don’t you drown in it. We got this.

With respect,
Linds

ps…I’ve already worked out…twice…so that’s not it either. LOL. I KNOW someone will comment about getting out and getting active! And how awesome is that?! Woop!

Showing Positivity & Giving Gratitude: The Power Couple

September 26, 2016 By Lindsay Gee

I’ve written previously about the power of positivity and gratitude but, I think it’s time for a bit of a reminder. Recently, I feel like I’ve been surrounded by Eeyores. And no, I’m not talking about being depressed (because we all know the little fella could use some good exercise to help lift him up). I’m talking about focusing only on the bad and forgetting to focus on the positive. I’m talking about forgetting to give, and yes, even receive gratitude.

While I absolutely think that you should vent and reach out and ask for help, I also think there are ways for you to help yourself. Life is hard. Business is hard. Motherhood is hard. No one has ever, ever told us differently. So, buck up, everyone. Get to work. And start with some positivity and some gratitude.

Whine, complain, bitch all you want…but then do something about it. Don’t just sit on your ass and think other people are going to lift you up and hold you there. Our arms get tired, there’s no way we can do it on our own. Do something.

Luckily, there are some fairly easy ways for you to begin to help yourself. The simplest thing you can start doing and doing right now is to start putting the power couple of positivity and gratitude to work for you. Shed a little positivity in your own world. Acknowledge and be grateful for the gifts (no matter how small) you have in your life. You may find it difficult at first, particularly if you’re really struggling, but take some baby steps and start doing the work. [Read more…] about Showing Positivity & Giving Gratitude: The Power Couple