jennifer Milliano

I really just think that I have a one-track mind, and sometimes it's not such a good thing, but then other times it is. When I make up my mind that I'm going to do something and it's something that I really feel is beneficial, I think one of the most important things to me is that my boys being able to look at me and be able to see that I've accomplished these things, started these things from the ground up, and for them to be able to see the work that I put into it, and then to see the benefits that come from it. The thing that makes me feel the best about what I'm doing is for them to be able to see what it's like to hustle, and to work hard, and then to be able to thrive from it. For them to be able to see that pushes me the most, because at times, it can be difficult to tend to four children while I'm going to run a business at the same time. I have a lot of Zoom calls with a baby, all that, all these other things, but sometimes they're able to see their mother accomplishing things. It's just fulfilling in that way.

I think one of the most important things I've probably learned, especially in my field, is that it is a very particular niche. I'm not going to always be able to please everyone. I'm not going to be everyone's key. It isn't going to fit into everyone's category. So, I think that the most advice that I got is just to set your mind on a goal. And once you think about, and you research that goal, and you check out the content, and you make sure that it's going in the right direction, to stay with it, to not get sidetracked, and lose faith in what you're doing, or lose track of the progression that you want to make. Don't let anyone steer you in the wrong direction. Make up your mind and basically stick to it, I think is probably the best advice that I've gotten.

I would say that you have to be a little thick-skinned, because horse folks can be judgmental. They can be a little rough around the edges sometimes. They say what they mean quite often. So, you kind of have to have a bit of a thick skin, and don't let everything get you down. Let criticism and insults and all these other things just kind of go in one ear and out the other. Again, just stay on the path that you believe is the right one for you. And don't let anybody steer you off of that. Hustle hard, work hard, prioritize. Make sure that you're accomplishing your goals, but also make sure that your needs are being met and that the people you're responsible for, that their needs are being met. But for the most part, just thick skin, stay focused, work hard, and be consistent.

Really, the biggest challenge for me has been figuring out the tech side of it, because I'm not so tech-savvy. Making an app, I made sure I used a platform that didn't involve any coding, but at the same time, it is difficult. There's a lot of manual work that goes into it. I have to enter in every professional, I have to send out notifications to all of them so they can update their information, I have to send out founder information so that they can join, and then be able to get their verified badges, and it's just a lot of kind of some mind-numbing technical type of stuff that's actually been the most difficult for me. I kind of learn as I go, and I've needed some help from some professionals to guide me in the right direction at times, but for the most part, I've been able to figure it out on my own.

I think that one of the values that are most important that I teach my children is that you give everyone respect. You treat everyone with respect. You treat everyone with kindness. Treat everyone the way that you would want to be treated. You put out in the world what you want to get back from it. The more positivity you put out, the more positivity you get back. The more negative you are, the more kind of half as glass empty you are, that's what you're going to get back. So whatever vibe you put out into the world is what you're going to get back from it. One of the most important things that I try to teach my kids, maybe one of our most important values is to be respectful, be kind. You never know what anyone else is experiencing. You treat everyone the way that you would want to be treated, and you put out into the universe what you want to get back. And work hard.