My Third Birth Story: A Beautiful Birth Center Water Birth

We’ve made it to part three of my birth story series, and I couldn’t think of a more beautiful way to wrap up these three incredibly different experiences.

After a difficult hospital birth with my first daughter and an unexpected ambulance delivery with my second, I was finally able to experience the birth center delivery I had been hoping for.

And let me tell you, it was everything I needed it to be.

For my third birth, I delivered my biggest baby yet, in the water, surrounded by the kind of environment and support I had hoped for.

And despite her being my biggest baby, this was such a beautiful and positive labor experience for me.

In this episode, I’m sharing what made this experience so different, how my previous births influenced the decisions I made, and what it felt like to finally have the birth experience I had envisioned.

Looking back at all three of my deliveries, I realize just how much I’ve grown as a woman and a mother. Each experience taught me something different about myself, my body, and the importance of feeling informed and supported.

Three daughters. Three completely different birth stories. And a whole lot of lessons learned along the way.

A little disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and nothing shared in this episode should be taken as medical advice. This is simply a conversation about my own personal birth experience, feelings, and decisions. Every pregnancy, labor, and delivery is different, and what was right for me may not be right for you. Please always consult with your own doctor, midwife, or qualified healthcare professional about your individual circumstances and the options that are safest and best for you and your baby.

Support the show

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If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

My Second Birth Story: The Birth Center Baby Who Had Other Plans

Welcome back to part two of my three-part birth story series, and TRUST ME when I say this one is a little wild. 😂

After my first hospital birth experience, I knew I wanted to approach things differently the second time around. I had done my research, explored my options, and made the decision to deliver at a birth center with a midwife.

I had a plan. I had a place. I thought I knew how things were going to go.

Well… apparently my daughter had other plans.

Because instead of the peaceful birth center delivery I had imagined, I ended up giving birth IN AN AMBULANCE on the side of the road, just down the road from my house.

Yes. You read that correctly.

In this episode, I’m taking you through the entire experience, from preparing for a completely different kind of birth to the unexpected turn of events that made this a story I’ll be telling for the rest of my life.

If there’s one thing motherhood has taught me, it’s that you can plan all you want, but sometimes life has a completely different idea.

A little disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and nothing shared in this episode should be taken as medical advice. This is simply a conversation about my own personal birth experience, feelings, and decisions. Every pregnancy, labor, and delivery is different, and what was right for me may not be right for you. Please always consult with your own doctor, midwife, or qualified healthcare professional about your individual circumstances and the options that are safest and best for you and your baby.

Support the show

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If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

My First Birth Story: A Hospital Experience That Changed How I Viewed Birth

In part one of my three-part birth story series, we’re going all the way back to where it started: the birth of my first daughter.

As a first-time mom, there were so many things I didn’t know, questions I didn’t think to ask, and decisions I didn’t fully understand at the time. What I imagined my first birth experience would look like ended up being very different from what actually happened.

Between medical interventions, unexpected challenges, and an overall experience that left me feeling disappointed, my first birth completely changed the way I viewed pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

In this episode, I’m sharing the good, the bad, and the things I wish I had known before walking into that hospital. More importantly, I’m talking about how this experience inspired me to educate myself, ask more questions, and explore different options for my future births.

Because sometimes the experiences we never wanted are the ones that teach us the most.

A little disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and nothing shared in this episode should be taken as medical advice. This is simply a conversation about my own personal birth experience, feelings, and decisions. Every pregnancy, labor, and delivery is different, and what was right for me may not be right for you. Please always consult with your own doctor, midwife, or qualified healthcare professional about your individual circumstances and the options that are safest and best for you and your baby.

Support the show

-

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

Marketing your business can feel exhausting — especially when you’re putting yourself out there, posting consistently, giving things away, collaborating, and wondering… but what am I actually getting out of this?

In this episode, I’m talking about the mindset shift that changed the way I look at marketing altogether: not everything you do for your business is going to immediately pay you back — and that doesn’t mean it isn’t working.

I’m sharing some of the old-school marketing strategies that helped me build my clientele as a hairstylist, why I believe so strongly in getting out from behind your phone and actually talking about your business, and why generosity, referrals, collaborations, community involvement, and simply showing up over and over again can make such a huge difference.

We’re also talking about the frustration of posting something and getting zero clients from it, spending money on an ad that doesn’t immediately convert, or feeling like you’ve talked about your business so much that everyone has to be sick of hearing about it.

Spoiler: they probably haven’t even seen half of it.

In this episode, we get into:

• why marketing is a long game
• getting comfortable talking about your business
• the free haircut strategy that helped me build my books
• why giving something away isn’t always “losing money”
• donating to fundraisers and getting involved in your community
• collaborations and cross-promotion without the scarcity mindset
• asking your clients for referrals
• why imperfect posting is better than not posting at all
• creating multiple touch points before someone finally books or buys
• staying consistent even when it feels like no one is paying attention

Your job isn’t to make one post and immediately get a client. Your job is to keep planting seeds, building trust, letting people know what you do, and staying around long enough to see those seeds grow.

And if talking about your business is starting to feel a little annoying to you… you’re probably finally talking about it enough.

If this episode hits home for you, send it to another small business owner who needs the reminder. AND come find me on Instagram at @createdbyCarmenH — I’d love to hear what you’re trying in your own business and what’s actually working for you.

And remember: you are never too much — they can go find less. 🫶🏻

Support the show

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If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

In this episode, I sit down with Alisa to talk about what it looks like to build a successful creative business while also building a marriage, raising a family, and creating a life you genuinely love.

We talk about her journey from photographing weddings at just 18 years old to creating a luxury brand alongside her husband, navigating motherhood and a blended family, and continuing to evolve as a creative and business owner; even after major health scares.

This conversation is such a good reminder that success doesn’t have to look like choosing just one thing — you really can build a business AND a life that feels like you.

(While continuing to evolve in every season)

To connect with Alisa,

Reach out via Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/alisanicholle?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&stkn=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

See her + her husband's photography business here:

https://www.harts.co/

Support the show

-

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

In this episode of Go Find Less, I’m sharing the story of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult — and how that diagnosis made so many pieces of my life finally click into place.

I talk about what I was like as a kid: constantly talking, getting in trouble at school, feeling like I was always “too much,” and growing up believing that parts of my personality were things I needed to tone down or fix. I share how that followed me into beauty school, my career behind the chair, motherhood, business ownership, and even the way I’ve learned to cope with everyday life.

I also get into the moment a friend casually told me, “It’s because we both have ADHD,” and how that one conversation sent me down the path of finally getting evaluated after years of therapy, anxiety, stress, overwhelm, insomnia, and feeling like my brain never shut off.

I talk honestly about what the diagnosis has meant for me, why I’m not currently choosing medication, the coping systems I use now — including my “open tabs” notes list — and how much relief I’ve felt simply understanding that my brain works differently.

This episode also gets into motherhood in a really vulnerable way. I talk about emotional regulation, seeing parts of myself reflected in my daughters, wanting to advocate for them if they ever struggle in the same ways I did, and learning how to apologize, regulate, and grow alongside my kids instead of expecting myself to be perfect.

More than anything, this diagnosis has helped me stop trying to shrink myself to fit into rooms that were never made for me. I’m learning to work with my brain instead of constantly fighting against it — and to give myself a little more grace in the process.

If you’ve ever felt scattered, overwhelmed, overly emotional, too loud, too talkative, like your brain has 10 tabs open at once, or simply like you’ve spent your life wondering why certain things seem harder for you than they do for everyone else, this episode is for you.

Because maybe you were never “too much.”

Maybe you just needed to understand yourself better.

And if you are too much for someone? They can go find less. 🤍

Support the show

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If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

In this episode of Go Find Less, I sit down with someone who has been a part of my life for years and has influenced me both personally and professionally - Michelle Benjamin, the original "spa mama."

Michelle has spent more than 30 years in the aesthetics and spa industry, and I've had the privilege of watching her build businesses, mentor women, raise a family, reinvent herself, and continue evolving through every season of her career.

We talk about what she would tell her younger self, learning to stop rushing the process, trusting your gut, and understanding that sometimes the redirections in life are exactly what lead you where you're supposed to be. We also talk about the people who believe in us before we fully believe in ourselves and how much that support can shape the direction of our lives.

Michelle opens up about her journey from working for other people to owning businesses and eventually becoming independent, as well as why mentorship has always been such an important part of who she is. We also get into motherhood, watching her daughter enter the aesthetics industry, and how she encourages her to create her own path rather than feeling like she has to follow directly in her footsteps.

We talk about marriage, family, having a supportive partner through different seasons of business, and the adjustments that come with balancing it all. Michelle also shares her experience with aging, perimenopause, changing skin, confidence, and why she feels so passionate about helping women feel good about themselves through every stage of life.

And of course, we talk business. Michelle built a successful clientele long before social media existed, so we get into old-school marketing, referrals, networking, community involvement, putting yourself out there, and the reminder that whether you market online or offline, growing a business still takes work.

This conversation is such a good reminder that your path doesn't have to be perfectly planned or linear to be successful. You're allowed to change, grow, reinvent yourself, and take a completely different direction when something no longer feels right.

If you're a business owner, beauty professional, mom, mentor, or just a woman figuring out your next season, I think you're going to get so much out of this one.

Support the show

-

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!

What really goes on behind the scenes of the beauty industry?

In this episode of Go Find Less, I'm spilling 10 of the craziest things l've experienced in more than a decade as a hairstylist - including some things that are completely normal to us in the industry but might sound WILD to everyone else.

We're talking salon retail and luxury product exclusivity, commission vs. booth rental, who actually owns your client information, how social media completely changed the way stylists build their books, workplace culture, industry red flags, and why the salon you work in can make or break your career.

I'm also sharing what I wish more new stylists knew: you don't have to change who you are to fit into a salon, no one business holds the key to your success, and sometimes the best career move you can make is choosing a place where you can actually thrive.

Whether you work in the beauty industry or you've always wondered what happens behind the chair, this one is JUICY.

Support the show

-

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Follow along with your host Carmen Herges:

Instagram: @createdbyCarmenH

https://www.instagram.com/createdbycarmenh/

Book your hair appointment with Carmen + friends:

HOUSE OF HAIR | Mahomet IL.

https://www.houseofhairbeautylounge.com/

Book your next self-care appointment with Michelle & her team:

BENJAMIN & CO ESTHETIQUE | Mahomet + Champaign IL.

https://benjamincoesthetique.com/

Want to join us for a Girls Night Out?

Follow @Illuminate.studios.fisher for upcoming events, pop-ups,

workshops, and all the fun happening at the studio!

https://www.instagram.com/illuminate.studios.fisher

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for embracing the fact that sometimes... we're just too much

and thats perfectly fine!