In this episode of the Amberly Lago Show, I had the absolute joy of talking with the amazing Chelsea Husum, a true trailblazer in a male-dominated industry! We had a powerful conversation about how she’s overcome the odds and is reaching her full potential!
Here are three key takeaways from our inspiring conversation:
Unstoppable Resilience: Chelsea’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. She opened up about a traumatic experience she faced in South America and the grueling two-and-a-half-year lawsuit that followed. Despite these challenges, Chelsea’s resilience and inner strength shone through, proving that no matter what life throws at you, you can rise above it and come out stronger on the other side.
Leading with Authenticity: Chelsea is not just a successful business owner; she’s a leader who truly cares about her people. She shared how putting her team’s well-being first, listening to their needs, and creating a supportive environment has fostered trust and empowerment in her company. Her approach to leadership is a reminder that authenticity and empathy can lead to incredible success.
Finding Balance in the Chaos: Balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and personal life is no small feat, but Chelsea makes it look possible. She talked about how crucial it is to set boundaries, prioritize self-care, and focus on what really matters. Chelsea’s tips on managing priorities are gold for anyone trying to find harmony in a busy life.
If you’re looking for a serious dose of inspiration, this episode is a must-listen! Be sure to check out Chelsea’s website to grab her best-selling book, keep an eye out for her upcoming podcast, and dive deeper into her incredible journey.
Tune in to The Amberly Lago Show to hear Chelsea’s full story, and get ready to be inspired to push through your challenges with true grit and grace. Let’s celebrate Chelsea’s resilience, authenticity, and her commitment to living life to the fullest!
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Transcript:
Amberly Lago:
Welcome to the Amberly Lago Show, Stories of True Grit and Grace. Hey there, thank you for tuning in to the Amberly Lago Show. Today, we’re going to have a conversation about reaching your full potential. You’re going to be inspired, motivated. I have Chelsea Husum with us and she is a leading trailblazing Unstoppable female and a male dominated industry. She’s a speaker. In fact, she was in my mastermind and just took the stage at the Unstoppable Success Summit. She’s got a podcast and she has got a best selling book. So Chelsea, thank you for being here. Welcome to the show.
Chelsea Husum: Thank you. I am so excited to be here.
Amberly Lago: Oh, thank you. You have just amazed me with all that you have gone through. So we met, I guess about two years ago at an event I was speaking at, and you came up and started talking to me and we just really connected. And then I’ve been able to get to know you over the past year because you’ve been in the mastermind. And I was just bragging on you in the other room saying that you are a go-getter. You are just like, What you’ve accomplished is mind blowing. I mean, you’ve been featured on major media. Your book is a bestseller. You’re speaking on stages. So I have loved seeing you soar. But I want to go back a little bit because there are a lot of people that are like, well, good for her. Things are easy for her. And it’s like you’ve worked your butt off and through the process of writing your book. you that was very cathartic. Can you tell us what the hardest thing that you’ve overcome and how you’ve turned that trauma to triumph?
Chelsea Husum: Yes. Hopefully. Can I tell two things? Yes. I feel like there are two defining things that I’ve recently kind of been outed in my life. One was 20 years ago. I was getting my Spanish degree. So I was studying in South America in Ecuador alone. I was there for three months. I had been there the year before with a university group. So I went back and one night I was drugged, raped, and left alone in an abandoned home by my Spanish professor there in South America. And yeah, I woke up on a dirty mattress on the floor and kind of saw little flashbacks from the night before of being blacked out and then throwing up and he’s standing over me and just really, really horrible. And it took me, I kept getting electrocuted trying to escape and I finally get out. And the really crazy part is- What was there, like a wire? Well, they have in South America, all the houses have these garage doors kind of that you have to get out. And I, for some reason, just was trying to get out and it kept electrocuting me. I have no idea if it was made that way. because this is where they took girls. I don’t know. It was really messed up. So I’m like crying, finally get out. And it was, I remember it was a weekday and so it was school time. I literally hailed a cab, got, went back to, went to school. and walked in in the same clothes I had on the day before and I saw his face. Oh my goodness. And I literally told no one for 20 years, like shoved that so far deep down.
Amberly Lago: You told this story for the first time. at my house when we, I said, surprise everybody, we’re going to get up and do a five minutes head style talk. And the courage that it took to share that and to hear, I mean, Chelsea, to see where you, the first time you told that story. Yeah.
Chelsea Husum: You literally saw the first time. Yeah.
Amberly Lago: It, you know, it is, it’s a very hard thing to share, but the strength that I can see in you, I’m just wow. I just really commend you for the strength that it took and the courage to really share that and to get to heal. I feel like, you know, the truth will set you free for sure. You know, instead of just dealing with these things, how do you think some of the, if you got triggered or did you see anything from this trauma come out in the way that you would lead your team or your parent or relationships that you were in? Did you see anything?
Chelsea Husum: Well, okay. I, and this is how I saw it come out in real time. 20 years later is my other story. I forgot to share, but then fast forward. And I was in a lawsuit that had been going on. It went on two and a half years. I was being sued for millions of dollars. And for some reason, laying in bed at night, It’s like that’s, I had shoved that other memory so far down and literally like almost forgot about it. Locked it through way the key. But this new traumatic experience, it was, the old one was bubbling up at night and I remember laying in bed starting to say, Why did you, why’d you do that? You put yourself in that situation. Why did you do that? Why, why were you so stupid? And then I was like, no. So it, at this point where I’m in a lawsuit, I’m being sued for millions of dollars. The most ridiculous lies are being said about me. I’m literally fighting for my life. I’m defending my life.
Amberly Lago: And you’re in the middle of writing your book. Yes.
Chelsea Husum: And I’m running a company. I’m trying to be a mom, a wife. I’m waking up covered in hives. So honestly, the lawsuit was so much worse than being physically raped one time because the lawsuit I was over and over and over victimized. And it went on two and a half years. And I remember waking up now, you know, having gone through that experience in the past, doing no healing. I remember the morning I woke up, recently, in late 2023 or, you know, 23. And I went downstairs, my family was sleeping and I just thought, I’m not okay. I can’t do this anymore. I absolutely just can’t. And I texted a girlfriend and I said, I need help. I’m not okay. And she, I was like, do you know of any like cheaper therapy or something? And she’s like, girl, I got you. I know, I know you need help. I got you. Wow. Thank God. Wow. Cause I just couldn’t, it was so heavy and horrible. Yeah. to just, you know, wake up and like, you’d be, you’d try to forget about it and go on with your life. But then you get an email from your lawyer and, Oh, the $500 an hour bills, you know, starts that clock starts ticking and, Oh, we, you need to provide thousands of documents. And this was said about you and that was said about you. And yeah, it was horrible. And so it’s like, I took these two completely different experiences, but it was when men made me feel powerless. And I finally wrote this book, took my power back. And I swear, I actually read it the other day. My chapter about the lawsuit is called Hell because that was the only thing I could name it. And I think it’s the longest chapter because it went on so long. I kept writing and using it as kind of my therapy. But I wrote, I’m, I said, I’m pissed off. I know at this moment when it was done in December 28th of 2023, so not that long ago, I said, I know with my whole soul, I will look back on this moment and this is just, this is the starting point. Like watch me, watch me go because I’m pissed off. I’m riled up and I’ve been through hell and I’m on, I’m like coming like, I just don’t, don’t even try to stop me at this point.
Amberly Lago: Yeah, yeah. But I mean, I can really relate to people ask me, you know, sometimes what’s the hardest thing? I think going through my divorce and dealing with a lawyer and his lawyer would call and harass me was harder, especially because my daughter was involved. It was a battle for, it was awful. Was harder mentally and emotionally than being hit by an SUV. So I get it. And you were going through this for two and a half years.
Chelsea Husum: My kids were like, mommy, when are we losing our house? Mommy, here’s $12. You need it more than I do. I mean, literally I actually had in the early stages, apparently my son was at school and he blurted out like mommy’s being sued. The teacher called me around Christmas and like asked if I was okay and asked if we needed to be adopted for Christmas. This like breaks your heart. And it’s not like I sat and talked about it around them, but like, there’s no way in two and a half years, they somehow, they just felt it. They felt that heaviness, that depression. It was horrible. Yeah.
Amberly Lago: They pick up. They see it. They’re sponges. They see it. Well, you have come out the other side and truly stepped into your power. And so first, yes, you asked for help, which takes courage. What has enabled you to be resilient and to step into your power? Because there are people out there that are, they’re struggling. They, they want to, but they just feel like life is hard. Maybe it’s their finances. Maybe it’s the relationship. Maybe they’re getting sued. Who knows? But how do they dig out and become resilient and rise above? Yeah.
Chelsea Husum: So what I’ve learned in talking to people and the one guarantee in life in this human existence is we will go through adversity. We will go through hard times. We’ve had so many conversations about things we’ve been through. Everyone I talked to, if you’re not going through it now, you’re going to go through it again soon. It’s just guaranteed. What I learned through this last thing from the lawsuit was now as a 41 or 40 year old woman, I know myself and I was looking around saying, I am not okay. And really what I had to do that besides the asking for help with a therapist that helped me the most was looking at my habits, looking what I was doing and you know, knowing I needed to give myself some grace and be a little gentle on myself at that point. Cause I was already just struggling so hard. It was saying, Okay, when you’re in a hard time, maybe you wanna come home and drink a bottle of wine and emotional eat, whatever. But it’s also making you feel like crap. And when you’re already feeling like crap, because you’re in a tough time, that stuff isn’t helping. Get rid of it, go to bed early. I would sometimes, it’s eight, I’m like, peace out, I am done, I am exhausted. I literally need to just go to bed and reset. um moving my body getting out me it’s like taking my dog for a walk i remember those days it was like i was crying in my office because i’d get another email from my lawyer and i was like get the dog and just i would go breathe the air and look up at the sun and be like Like I, it just, I had to just get out, change my scene, change scenery. Right. Um, and it was looking at the habits and what was draining your energy, then get rid of it. Now that is so not helping you when you’re going through it. And then, you know, what are you like, are you eating healthy? Are you moving your body? Are you saying no to all those maybe meetings that you really don’t need to be at or like, you know, I don’t need to be, didn’t need to be going to construction events three times a week at night. I was exhausted. I needed to be resting, you know? So it’s, it, for me, that was so big to look at what I was filling my time with and what my habits were.
Amberly Lago: Instead of just busy work. Yeah. You know, like what is really, uh, what are your values? What are your priorities and saying no,
Chelsea Husum: You need to say no, especially when you’re in it. That’s not going to help you. And you need to take care of yourself and rest. And if you just need to say no to that meeting and lay on the couch in the quiet, do it. That’s what you need right now.
Amberly Lago: Yeah. I have to say, this is making me feel better because yesterday I watched Netflix.
Chelsea Husum: Me too. It was so great. You did? Yeah.
Amberly Lago: In my hotel room. Yeah. I was like, oh my gosh, I’m watching a movie. I never used to watch movies. I was always seven days a week, just work, work, work, work, work. And now it’s like, you know what? I give myself some grace every once in a while. And I do monitor sleep. Yes, I do too. monitor my sleep. I look to see how much REM sleep, uh, deep sleep, restorative sleep that I’m getting. It makes a difference. Now you have, I mean the construction company, especially it’s a male dominated industry, which is no small feat that you’ve taken on. And what’s interesting is out of two women in the mastermind or in the construction industry. How wild is that?
Chelsea Husum: That’s so crazy. I love it. I love it so much.
Amberly Lago: I do too. You guys are such powerhouses. What have been some of the biggest challenges and then how have you worked your way through that?
Chelsea Husum: Um, I think to just like business owner challenges, managing people is always difficult. And I, you like for me in construction, if you don’t know what you’re doing, someone could die. So it’s, it’s not like, Oh, you put the wrong fries in the order. Like, no, literally someone could die. You need good people. And you there, my only goal is that they go home safe every single day. So like for me, it’s been really cool that I just, I do things totally different than I believe any other company that I’ve heard of. But like, for example, I knew I needed good people. And if you can imagine at the beginning, walking up to people, Hi, I own a construction company. Do you want to come work for me? I’m sure they’re like, Oh my God, who is this lady? Like what? Right. But I offered to pay them quite a bit more. I have paid my employees 40 hours a week, whether they’re working or not. So they might be home on a Wednesday, just chilling, but I don’t care. I need to make sure they’re taken care of. They, they have families and need to put food on the table. Right? So to me, that’s important. I do pay a lot more and I pay if they’re not working, but I know that means I have really good people. You know, and they know they’re taken care of, not worried, oh, is it a slow week, right? So I mean that, and then for me, construction, I think I have $80,000 in 60 to 90 day late payments out right now. Not even like just, I bill net 30, it’s like not even just the stuff that’s current billed. I’m like, okay everybody, start sending the checks. You know, it’s just the cashflow. But I was telling- Yeah, I don’t like having to-
Amberly Lago: Chase money like that though. I don’t like owing money.
Chelsea Husum: Yeah. Oh, I don’t either. I pay stuff right. I like, oh, yeah. I hate having any bills, but I mean in. I think we were talking the other day. Back when I started the company, that would have been a major issue. Now it’s grown and we’ve gotten a rhythm. I can handle it. I don’t like it. It doesn’t mean I’m going out of business at all, but I don’t like it. But it’s just like the operating expenses are real and managing people, it’s tough. But honestly, that’s why you have to be smart about your money, put like a good month’s worth of payroll in a savings account. So you know, no matter, even if they’re late, you’re good and hire the right people. Otherwise it’s, it’s never going to work. It’s not going to be successful.
Amberly Lago: Yeah. What do you think is the top tip for being a better leader?
Chelsea Husum: I would say just constantly working on yourself, knowing you’re not perfect. I am so far from perfect. I’ve had people that I’ve met and they’re like, oh, well, when I met you, I just thought you had it all together and you were perfect. I’m like, no. Now that’s a mission of mine to say, why are we trying to be perfect? Just be yourself. Be authentic, be real, be honest. When you mess up, say, I’m sorry I messed up. That’s on me. I’m sorry. Constantly learning and growing. I want to always just be a better person in general. And so I think that helps me. One thing, one of my employees has always said, Chels, you’re the best boss I never had. He’s like, you do not micromanage us. You just let us go and you trust us. And you know that we know what we’re doing and you just let us go. And like, he’s like, and you actually care about us.
Amberly Lago: I don’t want to micromanage. Oh, I don’t either. I don’t have time for that. In fact, I had somebody on my team and I’m like, No, it’s not my job to babysit you. I will not micromanage. No, I’m not going to do that. I like being able to trust that my team’s got it and they’re behind the scenes. They’re getting it done.
Chelsea Husum: Exactly. Yeah. I don’t have time. I have a million other things to do. I run the whole company you’re good. Go do your thing. I’m here if you need me.
Amberly Lago: Yeah.
Chelsea Husum: But like, go. And he says, he’s like, no one cared. He’s, he’s like, I’ve worked for all the big companies. No one cared about the guys in the field, but you do. You care about us. And that’s so different. And I’ve never had that before. And it’s like, I send them birthday cards and, or he’s like, Hey, I just see you sent me some money. Like it’s not my birthday. And I was like, Oh, it’s your three year anniversary. He’s like, Oh, cool. Thanks. You know, we go out for a big Christmas dinner. We just like laugh and have fun. And it’s just tiny things, but I tell them, thank you a lot. And I’m grateful for you. And I try to do little things that typically I think they don’t get from a male dominated, from their male bosses. And I just, that’s just me. And so it stands out.
Amberly Lago: You are so thoughtful. You are so thoughtful. Like I remember when I, by the way, y’all forward, By Amberly Longo. But do you know how many forwards I’ve written for people and praised for book and didn’t really get a thank you? Let me tell you the kind of person that Chelsea is. I think about you all the time because I have the candle that you gave me on my dresser, but she sent this beautiful gift to me in the mail and it’s like, To feel appreciated means so much. And there’s a friend of mine, his name’s Vic Keller, and he is a very successful businessman. I mean, he’s like very successful. And he said the best business strategy is love. Love your people, And when you love your people, they want to be with you. They know, they feel it. They want to be with you. And so I think that makes a really big difference. And obviously that’s what you do. And it’s been recognized as well because you were awarded Outstanding Woman in Business by the Denver Business Journal. Congratulations on that. That’s amazing. Thank you. Thank you so much. Yeah. So what does that mean to you? To get this award, how’d that make you feel?
Chelsea Husum: It’s amazing, and I still don’t really realize that I don’t think, but I went to this just wonderful celebration night, but I’m there with women, really top women from Crocs and big companies, and then there’s little me. It’s so funny to me, but it’s… I guess it’s cool that I was even recognized or it’s really neat.
Amberly Lago: Little OU, come on now. You are a big deal.
Chelsea Husum: You’re becoming a household name. Well, thank you. But it’s weird to me to be with these really big companies that are, you know, huge. And then I feel like, oh my gosh, what am I doing here? It’s just weird. But it’s, I guess, extra cool to me because I have proven that, okay, I started a company with zero business training or education whatsoever. I jumped into the construction field I was a teacher and then I jumped in, got into commercial construction right before I started my company. So that was like throwing me off the deep end. I had no clue what I was doing. I cried a lot, figured it out the hard way. But I’m proving to everyone that you actually don’t need to have a degree in that. You don’t even need to be trained in it. You can go hustle and find people that are doing what you want to do. I literally found women in Denver doing you know, that have construction companies or electrical companies. And I became their friend and I, we go have lunch and we talk business and we talk insurance and we talk this stuff that no one else gets and we bounce or if something happens, that’s kind of, I really, think in my gut, I know what I want to do, but I’ll call one of those women and I’ll say, here’s what happened. What would you do? And it’s like, yeah, she feels she would do the same thing. I’ve found mentors and friends. And so it’s just, that’s, I guess what is cool that I’ve done it my way. I do things differently and it’s, it’s being recognized, which is so cool. Cause I would do it the same way over and over again. Right. But yeah, to prove you can be successful, but it’s a way,
Amberly Lago: It’s locking arms with other women, other business owners. And I think that’s so important. I mean, I just got off of a phone call earlier today and I was speaking at this event and met this lady there and she’s doing her first in-person event. And so I was talking to her. I was like, well, Hey, I learned this with my first event and I’d made this mistake with my next one. And if you want to do this, you could add this to your website. You know, I’m adding a chance for sponsorship on my website, but by coming together and just talking and I was like, I’ll be at your event, help volunteer, whatever you need me to do. And she’s like, well, I’ll be at your event. I’ll buy a ticket. And it’s like, when we can support each other, it makes all the difference.
Chelsea Husum: Oh, totally. And you’re so good at that. You, I’ve worked with a lot of people and I have absolutely loved your mastermind. So if you’re listening and, Oh, maybe I should join, like join yesterday. I’m just going to say like, you are this magical person and you truly I’ve met very few people that you grab their hand and you’re like, let’s go. And you want them to succeed just as much as you do and or more truly that says so much about you because I have, I’ve worked with other people that they say that, but they don’t do it. Or you’re like, who do you want to know? Who can I connect you with? What do you want to do next? How can I help get you there? I mean, it is we, if we, if we lock arms and come together, we can all rise so much faster. So why are we trying to do it alone? Why are we trying to be perfect? Like say, I’m not perfect. I’m a hot mess, but hey, want to be a hot mess with me? Let’s do it together.
Amberly Lago: And I think too, it’s that mindset of abundance. What is meant for you is going to be for you. What’s meant for me is going to be for me, but you’re right. We can lock arms and it’s more fun that way. It’s so much more fun. I mean, yes, we lock arms. Yes, I will give suggestions on this, that, and the other of things to do. But you hustle and you do it. You’re a real hard worker, and I really admire that about you. Thank you. I want to know, because you’re an amazing mama, wife, do you believe in balance? And if so, how do you balance between your work life and your home life, your mom, your personal life?
Chelsea Husum: Okay. A few things. Um, I have learned, okay, we all think, okay, think of a successful company at the end. They’re, they’re really successful on the outside, but in order to get there, you know, the owner, you know, the entrepreneur works 80 hours a week, their stress, their health’s failing, their family hates them. They’re getting a divorce. I’m sorry, but if that’s success, I don’t want it. Yeah. Now, you know, I started my company in March of 2020 we’ve over doubled every year. I now work less than I ever have. But when I work, I work really hard. Also, like last year I was turning 40 and I said, Hey, I want to turn 40 in Italy. So my husband, I went to Italy for 10 days. Okay. I run the company. I didn’t have a soul to do anything, minus my technicians on the job site. I ran the company from Italy for 10 days and I was like, this could go real bad, real fast. But I ate so much pizza and pasta and drank Eperol spritzes. And then I’d come home and I’d like, even with the time difference, I made it work. And I was like, Oh my God, but I go skiing with my kids on like a Tuesday over winter break. And then I throw them in the pool and I work. I might work weird hours, but I, I’ve been to Mexico numerous times. I literally, because someday, yes, I will delegate it. But right now I know it like the back of my hand. It’s just, I can do it. Yeah. And bust it out. Now also, you know, being a mom and juggling it all. Yes. Can be hard. Um, number one, I want my kid, my two boys to look at me and say that they’re proud of me and that I built something like they know. And they’re excited. We go get the mail. Like I have a PO box and we’ll go get the mail. And they’re like, mom, how big of a check did we get today? Oh, is it a good one? Is it a good one? Like they go with me to get the mail or we’re driving around.
Amberly Lago: Google your name.
Chelsea Husum: Yeah. I know it’s very weird, but yeah, it’s like, and I’m driving around town. I’m like, see that hospital over there. Mommy helped build that. See that library in town. Mommy helped build that. Like I, they’re proud of, I want, I want them to hear sometimes what I go through. Um, but also, I mean, it’s hard to like my, I have been, it’s like honestly a second full-time job. My little son, Wyatt. We call him the honey badger. He’s so sweet, but who that kid is a big spirited child. And we, and honestly, we, he had a horrible kindergarten year, like horrible. And I’m thinking to my mama heart, like I constantly, I have like PTSD literally from seeing the school district name on my phone. Cause I was like, Oh, Oh no. I have had to step up and be an advocate for him because he doesn’t even know what he needs. And I can’t even tell you the doctor appointments, the psychiatrist, the psychologist, the dyslexia testing, this, that thousands of dollars, which I will happily pay over and over again to get him what he needs. And even now this year we switched schools for him to get him in a better spot with a lot more support because he needs that. And so I dropped one kid off at one school. Then I drive a half hour to drop the other kid off now at the other school. But again, I mean, it’s, I make it work because that is my priority. I’ll, I’ll get back to those emails and phone calls or I’ll talk to somebody in the car, but you know, it’s, so I’ve with him specifically, I have really had to step back some meetings at times because I’m like, he needs me right now. And every time I drive an hour away to a meeting, they call me and he needs, you know, he’s not okay or something. So it’s like, that I love being an entrepreneur and that I’m able to go with the ebb and flow of life. But I want to live my life and be joyful now. And I feel like, of course it’s not perfect, and some days I’m better at it than others, but I’m more fulfilled and I’m actually doing more. I’m speaking, I’m starting a podcast, I’m writing my second and third book. All this stuff that lights me up, and I freaking love it. So it’s like, if you’re doing what you love, It doesn’t feel like work.
Amberly Lago: Yeah, it doesn’t. You make it work. Yeah, you sure do. So tell me, when is your podcast launching? It’s soon.
Chelsea Husum: Very soon. Well, so I’m working with your friend, who’s now my friend, Lou Diamond. He’s amazing. But he’s like, okay, we’re close. We got to tweak it to make it amazing when you get it out there. So it’s very close. I don’t have a date yet, but I’m hoping within a month or two, it’s close. Yeah. Yeah. I got a lot to say. I’m like, we were laughing about some, some of my silly stories. I’m going to tell like how I’m trying, jokingly trying to get mother of the year, which is. Yeah. It’s going to make some crying, some laughing. It’s going to be good.
Amberly Lago: Are you going to interview your husband on the show? Oh, I didn’t think about that. I don’t know. Maybe. I’m just saying Johnny was a big hit on the show. I got to bring him back. Yeah. I want to bring him back. And he’s like, well, what are you going to do for me if I’m on your show?
Chelsea Husum: You’re like, do I really need to roll up the red carpet for you babe? I’ll take you to a nice dinner.
Amberly Lago: So you are just talking about a second and third book. Yes. Any ideas on the titles for those or can’t say yet?
Chelsea Husum: Well, okay. So one, well, my, okay. My second book that I have been thinking about, and I know I’m going to write it, it’s a children’s book, which is not my, you know, my first book is not that, but I want to write it based on Wyatt, my honey badger child, who is the big-spirited child that the world’s tried to put in a box, and he simply cannot be put in a box, nor should he, because he will go out and do something amazing someday. But I mean, literally, this child, when he was five, he bought a $1,500 dirt buck on Amazon. He couldn’t spell, mind you, but I’m working. Somehow, he stole my phone, and I get the Amazon confirmation. I’m like, Oh my God, what, what happened? He, when he was like three and a half, he got, he got completely butt naked, climbed a five foot wooden fence and just ran, like walk down the street. And I got a picture from my neighbor. She’s like, you got a streaker. And I was like, Oh my God. I’m like in my home office working. I’m like, Oh my God, he ran away again. Like this child has so many stories. So I’m going to actually use real stories of things he’s done, but justify it from a kid like him, you know, who’s just living a big life. And so I think, and the more people I talk to, a lot of people have kids that like that, that it’s, they’re maybe not okay, or they’re struggling more than other kids, and it’s really hard to be a parent of that child. It’s emotionally exhausting, and you cry a lot, and you, because all you want is your child to be okay, and when they’re not okay, you know they’re not okay. You might not know exactly how to fix it, but you just gotta keep going until you find out. So that’s that book, and then my other book, I realized I, because I’ve kind of gone into a business without training and figured it out the hard way, and do things my way. I want to write kind of a off the cuff, um, slightly inappropriate book for women entrepreneurs. I think you should. I really have the outline done. I’m like, let’s go. Yeah.
Amberly Lago: I mean, We need that. We need that. And I like learning from someone who has done it. Me too. They have, man, they’ve been through some hard times. They’ve gotten up, they figured it out. They’ve made mistakes. That’s it. And they’ve gotten real about it.
Chelsea Husum: Like, yeah, I, you know, it wasn’t perfect. Here’s my mistakes. Here’s right. That’s who I want to learn from totally too. Not someone who seems to like I’m perfect.
Amberly Lago: I’ve got it all together. And that’s why I like your book so much. Real vibes only. That’s why I love your book. Who is real vibes only for?
Chelsea Husum: Um, I would say it’s, well, it’s just a bunch of short stories from my life. Some are just me being an idiot and doing stupid things. So you’ll laugh and be like, wow. Others are like, it’s just some really traumatic things that I’ve gone through. You know, some we chatted about today, but how I’ve worked through it or things I’ve learned, it’s all of it is. you know, giving people permission to own their story. It took me until writing this book to finally own who I really am and put all the good, bad and ugly out there, which can be scary. It can be scary, but it was so freeing. Oh my God. And I literally feel like I don’t have anything to hide anymore. Like I feel like the fullest expression of myself right now. Yeah. And a lot of this was from this. I cried a lot writing it. There’s some stories that every time, man, it was, it was very therapeutic, you know, but it’s, it’s me and all I want, I want people to read it and like, people are like, you’re saying what I’m feeling. You’re telling me I don’t have to be perfect when society does. And I feel alone and I feel judged or I, I went through something similar and I still have shame and guilt about it. Like I just want to give people permission to heal, forgive themselves, get rid of shame and guilt and own your story and just be authentically who you are. That’s what all I want. Yeah.
Amberly Lago: Yeah. Well, um, you have something exciting coming up. I believe you’ll be going to New York soon.
Chelsea Husum: Oh yes. Yes. Yes. I, my mom and I are doing a very fun event, but I’m not going to, I can’t spill the beans just yet. Social media surprise.
Amberly Lago: You’ll have to stay tuned to her social media. Tell people where they can find you on social media, where you hang out the most.
Chelsea Husum: Yes, so probably Instagram is the most, and just at Chelsea Hewsom. Nothing crazy there, but yeah, follow me there or at my website too. You can find all kinds of social links or whatever.
Amberly Lago: Yeah, and we’ll have all of her links in the show notes so you can easily find where to buy her book, her future book, her children’s book. And what is next for you? What is the big exciting thing that you’re looking forward to? I know we’ve already talked about future books. What else are in the plans that you’re excited about?
Chelsea Husum: Well, so I got chosen to speak at an event coming up in September in Phoenix. So that’s, it’s starting to snowball. And we talked about like putting, putting yourself out there, getting to meet people that you feel connected with. Right. And I’ve done that a lot this year and it’s paying off, which is really cool. So I’m like following things that light my soul up. So I’m speaking, I’m going to New York with my mom for this fun thing. Um, I, I’m excited to, you know, get my podcast launched, be telling stories that people need to hear. Um, okay. And just a spoiler, one of the titles, we’re still working on it, but it’s elf on the shelf handcuffs and things that go buzz in the night. I’m just going to say, it’s a funny one.
Amberly Lago: I like laugh.
Chelsea Husum: You can’t make this up. You just can’t. It’s so funny. I won’t be telling a lot of stories about that, but I want to get these books out and speak on a national level, world level. Why are we keeping it national? Let’s just do world. Now it took me a really long time to realize I actually have a story. it changed everything for me. And now I just want to be unapologetic and like, I know I have things to share just so that other people can feel less alone or feel connected. So it’s kind of, I’m open to anything. It’s like follow the magic.
Amberly Lago: Oh, you’re speaking on the panel.
Chelsea Husum: Oh, I’m so excited.
Amberly Lago: The next unstoppable success. I’m so excited because I really want to feature women from the mastermind who have just like, taken the knowledge and just ran with it. You’ve done it. And I’m just really, really just, I’m so impressed with all that you have accomplished and continue to accomplish. And I can’t wait to see you on more and more big stages. And before we go, one last thing, what is some advice that you would give to, let’s say your younger self?
Chelsea Husum: Ooh, I love that. I would say you are gonna go through some really hard times, like things you can’t even fathom, but just dig through, you will come out so much stronger on the other side, and then you are just gonna fly.
Amberly Lago: Yeah. You’ve definitely got some grit, girl. Definitely. So do you. That’s why I love you. So I love you. Tell everybody one more time where they can find your book and your future podcast and all the exciting events you have coming up.
Chelsea Husum: Yes. Yeah. I would say my website, ChelseaHusom.com. My book’s on Amazon, but I have everything, all my social links and any news or fun stuff on my website.
Amberly Lago: Yes. And she’s just redone her website and it’s beautiful, by the way. So please take a picture. If you found some value in this, take a picture and share it on your social media. You can tag me at AmberlyLagoMotivation and Chelsea at ChelseaHusum. I always like to go, Husum, it’s hard for me.
Chelsea Husum: Yeah, it’s horrible. My maiden name was Hunt. So like it was so easy. And then I’m like, thanks, Beb. Thanks. Yeah.
Amberly Lago: No, but thanks for tuning in to the Amberly Lago Show and we will see you next week.
