I ran across Christy’s Instagram page by a simple Annapolis hashtag! I instantly felt drawn to her energy and the risks she took to double down on herself in pursuit of her dreams. So many mamas are wishing for more while being overwhelmed with where to begin. If that sounds like you, I hope Christy and her podcast are a source of inspiration!
You’re a mama, of course! How many kiddos do you have and how old are they?
One. He just turned 3 and I have another boy on the way, due in June.
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in Annapolis? What made you decide to live here?
I am from Raleigh, NC, I moved to Annapolis 8 years ago. I came back to Raleigh after college and was working at a job that allowed me to work remotely. I had a friend from college that was from Annapolis and visited her and fell in love with the town. Given my job situation I decided to take a chance and live here for a summer and see how I liked it. I ended up meeting my now husband during that summer and stayed here.
What’s your favorite family activity in the Annapolis area?
Lots! My son loves going to Kinder Farm and seeing the animals. We are also big fans of The Wiggle Room in Crofton, and feeding the ducks downtown and getting ice cream at Storm Brothers. We also love playing at the Annapolis Mall play area and Playseum.
What’s your favorite thing about raising a family in the Annapolis area?
I’ve always loved the water and knew I wanted to live near the water one day I went to college at the beach in Wilmington, NC. We love being near the water and seeing the boats; we love the culture of the town.
Photo Credit: Alex Dooley
Greatest gift about being a mom?
The unconditional love for your child and how you want the best life for them that is possible. Watching them grow from babies to toddlers with their own personalities and can’t wait to see the person they are becoming.
Least favorite mom job? (i.e. packing lunches, dishes, bath time, etc.)
Right now its bedtime, LOL! We just got out of the terrible twos so my son loves to stall and ask for more stories, more water, and then still throw a tantrum when we leave the room. It lasts forever.
Where’s your favorite place to eat and/or shop around Annapolis?
I love shopping at the Harbour Center for Nordstrom Rack & Old Navy! & Annapolis Mall. To eat we love Luna Blu and Joss for date nights, my son is obsessed with chips and guac right now so we like taking him to Mexican restaurants around town. Uncle Julios is a fave.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
As much as I love living near the water I actually don’t like being on a boat, I get motion sick.
Photo Credit: Olivia Reed Photography
What’s something you love that’s just for you?
Massages and Working out for sure! I’ve been a member of Evolutions for about 5 years and love destressing there for a workout or yoga class.
Best mom hack that makes your life easier?
Emergency fruit snacks in purse at all times!
Best advice for mom guilt?
Don’t play into it! You are doing your very best at every moment and tomorrow is always a new day to start fresh.
Name one thing you hope your children look back and remember about their childhood and you as their mama?
We love to do crafts and bake we make special muffins on the weekends that I hope he remembers. Also when we do trips to target when I get a coffee he gets a pumpkin bread and water and thinks its super special b/c he got a drink from where mommy gets her drink.
Photo Credit: Olivia Reed Photography
Tell us more about Ambitious Soul!
My second baby, LOL! I created Ambitious Soul in August of last year. It started out as just the podcast and is now my brand/company. I launched coaching in 2020 and a Masterclass for female business owners that want to learn social media and sales online. After a year of misfortune, I found myself at a crossroads and asking, “What am I doing with my life?” I followed my gut and trusted when my intuition told me I was meant for more than what my job was providing.
With zero safety net, I quit and jumped into the unknown. I took a few months off to be home with my son and took that time to reflect on how I want to spend my days. During this time, the download for Ambitious Soul podcast came to me. In that moment, I also learned my calling: to empower other women and show them what is possible if they push aside fear and bet on themselves.
What made you decide to branch out into podcasting? I’ve listened to a few episodes and am hooked!
For the past 2 years, I have been an avid podcast listener and I feel in love with the audio platform to get and share information especially being a busy mom I loved podcasts because I can listen on the go, while I’m doing housework, etc and still be doing self development and continuing my learning. I wanted to launch one for about a year before I did it. The normal doubt was creeping in “Who am I to do this?”, “I’m too busy, what if I cant keep up with it?”, “What if no one listens?” You know, the usual suspects. But I had the same vision for the podcast that didn’t change and I really wanted a platform to showcase female entrepreneurs. And my own experience working in a corporate sales and a recruiting job for 13 years turned into working in direct sales then starting my own business. I wanted to show other women it’s possible and here are the steps you need to take to get there by sharing others stories that have come before them.
What do you hope the future of Ambitious Soul looks like? What’s next for your platform?
I hope to do a live event in Annapolis in a year or two where I can show off our town and bring together women that want to be in the room with other entrepreneurs and learn from them. I vision bringing in all my Annapolis favorite vendors like Rutabaga Juicery and Mango and Main.
How has your community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
It’s always good to have a support system and ask for help! I love being transparent online on Instagram and show I am not doing all of this alone! I have a small team I’m putting together and I outsource aspects of my business like podcast editing, website building, and photography.
How does being a mom yourself impact your business and your public platform?
At first, I branched out on my own because of my son. Becoming a mom changed me and I was working a corporate job with maternity leave, we were paying $1,600 a month for daycare and I was miserable. I wanted to have other options so he gave me the push I needed to get out of my comfort zone and go after this business owner life. I share about my life as a mom on social media but not so much on the podcast.
You can learn more about Christy and Ambitious Soul podcast here and here. There are also still seats available to see her live at Rebelle Community’s Panel Conversation. Grab your ticket here!
This interview has been edited for clarity and condensed for clarity.
