Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joey Hodlmair . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Joey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I was five when life changed dramatically. I remember wondering why my father left and I also remember believing it would mean my mom would leave as well.

My mom not only stayed, she did everything she could to be present and with us. My mother’s journey is why I write and encourage other women to let go of comparing their path to others, to say no to the Pinterest lifestyle and dive into what they bring to their children’s lives-themselves.

So often mamas find themselves believing they need to do more, be more, buy more in order to raise happy, well rounded children. The truth is, less of the more and more of ourselves, is exactly what our children need. In fact, it’s what the world needs.

I look back on my childhood and I don’t see financial struggles, I see my mom. She was at the table with us eating, creating, teaching…and while I now know the sacrifices she made to be home with us, I also know how much we gained by having a present mama.

Now I know that you can be a present mama and also provide for your family. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

Joey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hey, I’m Joey! I’m a 41 year old mama of one. My journey to where I am now began with years of trying to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. I graduated HS on crutches after a major accident. My original life plan was to become a veterinarian, but after years of working as a vet tech, I made a shift and decided to attend our local college.

Fast forward and I graduated with multiple degrees (still unsure of what I wanted to be) and headed into the classroom to teach. Truth be told, I worked with children because I wasn’t sure I would ever have my own, but that’s a story for another day.

I met my husband my first year teaching, bought a home and thought life was complete. We did the hustle well- working sun up to sun down. That hustle provided, but it also destroyed. You see, we weren’t meant to hustle and work our lives away to someday enjoy the fruits of our labor.

After a few years in the classroom, I went back to school and received my Masters in Education. It was during this time in my life that I became pregnant-a miracle! While I had always dreamed of being “just a mom” I never thought it was possible. This was another major turning point in my life.

I made the decision to leave my career and step into my dream. I was going to be “just a mom.”

Now I just needed to figure out how to go from a two income household to one, while raising a child. How would I give my child everything they needed? It was during this time that I stopped to think about my childhood and what mattered most.

I didn’t have the latest and greatest toys, but my mom was always there. She gave us the greatest gift of all, her time.

Now it’s my mission to help other families lean into what matters most while leaving behind the commercialized world. I only wish someone would have been there to give my mom a high five and tell her what an amazing thing she was doing- it’s why I’m now passing out the high fives and encouraging families to step away from the norm and step into their home.

What sets me apart- I’ve lived both sides. I have seen what money can buy. I have also seen what it can’t. I’m pushing people to go against what they know and believe in order to hear and follow their heart.

What do I do in a nutshell-

I help people shift their perspective from scarcity to abundance in order to be present with their family.

Some layers to that

1. Ditching Commercial Society and Cultural Norms
2. Embracing their family’s unique Rhythms and Needs
3. Fostering Creativity to create income
4. Partnering with Nature over consumerism
5. An abundant life in the things that matter most!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building my audience on social media was a process initially, until I realized that showing up as me would mean I would draw in those I was meant to serve. You know, social media is a funny thing. You can play the game and grow very quickly or you can trust the process, share from a heart of serving others and authentically connecting and grow organically. For me, growing organically has been important.

I encourage anyone looking to build an audience to really think about how you can run a successful business with 100 followers that you are meant to serve or you can have thousands of followers that are just there to look. Sure you can have both, but remember what your purpose is.
And PS you don’t need a picture perfect curated feed, you just need to show up and serve.

If your looking to find your people and connect authentically, I can help you with that. Come find me on IG.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth. When you show up authentically, don’t worry about fitting into someone else’s box, and just do your thing-People find you. Friends tell their friends. More importantly serve. Show up for others because you care, not because you need a paycheck.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.joeyhodlmair.com.
• Instagram: @Destinationmommy

Image Credits
First photo is Evie Joy Eversole Rest are my photos