Take the Elevator
This podcast is purely about elevating people through individual life stories and experiences in the Elevator. In the Elevator, what's key is maybe changing your perspective; having self-actualization; embracing your purpose; and acting on it as we grow from one another. There is a whole different point of view when you look up to elevate.
Take the Elevator
341st Floor: If Only We Could, We Kinda’ Did
Our connection with listeners transcends spoken words, as we explore topics we’ve previously hesitated to address, such as the staggering number of missing children in America and the fight for women's rights. We open the floor for our audience to share topics they want to delve into, seeking real conversations that balance the joy of the holiday season with the gravity of these issues.
Life's pace demands efficiency, and we share about partnering and collaborating as we have navigated the changes and challenges of 2024. As we recount these journeys, there's excitement in sharing news of a new book set for release on January 11, 2025, a testament to our learning journey and the support of our incredible community. Join us for an episode rich with reflection, celebration, and a heartfelt call for meaningful engagement.
Look up, and let’s elevate.
Hey, it's Jen the Builder and Cory, and we just woke up from a wonderful weekend nap. Oh yeah, you gotta have those on the weekend. Weekend nap oh yeah, you gotta have those on the weekend. I remember, cory, when I was younger way younger. So in kindergarten we were forced to take naps in school and we faked it, yeah. And then, when my grandmother would babysit the cousins, we were made to take naps and we faked it then yep, uh, same here, kindergarten.
Speaker 2:uh, it's time to go to sleep. We would sing a song after we drank our milk and then pretend like we're asleep, and the teachers would really drill down. Go to sleep, take your nap. And now, what a treat to be able to take a nap.
Speaker 1:I'm telling you, this year, for those who don't know we got Magic Keys. You know, this year, for those who don't know, we got Magic Keys and we've just been reliving some of our youth and just being playful at Disneyland. It's been a great time. But we or I let me speak for myself because I know, corey, you could keep going if you had to I hit like the six-hour mark and then I'm looking for a nap. I could push, but I'm miserable after that mark.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've just learned how to push myself harder, like I go a little bit harder because I know you have that, that window or wall that you hit. Yeah, so I I just get mine in a little bit different, and now you know when it's time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'll, you know but I think I might be setting myself up, I think next year I'm going to kind of change and say, forget the six hour window, let me, you know, let's make that a longer window and not be tied to, because you know that kind of way where you're just like, oh, six hours and I'm done, and then you're like, yeah, six hours and I'm done, so no more, no more, we don't want that, cut it out, that's right. So over the weekend too, aside with setting up the house for the season and I'm so excited because my sister is going to be coming here from England, yorkshire, england, that's right, and I haven't seen her in years.
Speaker 2:In a New York minute. Yeah, it's right, and I haven't seen her in years In a New York minute. Yeah, it's been a long time.
Speaker 1:She'll be here the week of the 22nd, so we're just kind of prepping around that. But either way, we were able to watch some movies, indeed and I think this is more your favorite genre, corey the suspense thriller.
Speaker 2:Yeah, if I can't get action, which know I gotta give a little bit. There's got to be a little bit of a love story in there and a little bit of uh, some some drama and some kind of romance. Now I'm not into the whole sexual type of movie where they gotta have a love scene, but just the love story with suspense is just right up my alley in my cup of tea. That's my jam.
Speaker 1:So he's talking about movies like the Quiet Place. Yeah Right, there is a love story in there, believe it or not. And the Village, that's what he means. That's enough love story for Corey. You weren't supposed to tell him. Well, we had a great time watching it. Nonetheless, and because, cory, the theater is so intense with surround sound, I think I jumped at everything I was supposed to jump at everything as if I had never seen those movies and I was looking at you like why do?
Speaker 1:I keep jumping and I'm seeing these movies over and over again.
Speaker 2:It was wonderful. I just was in hog heaven.
Speaker 1:It was a good time. Well, in the village, there was a great quote that I had held on to, and you and I just kind of looked at each other and thought, wow, that was pretty brilliant. And so it said something like this we don't do what we want to do because we think others don't want us to do it. Something like that right. Or that others won't like what we want to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah others won't like what we want to do.
Speaker 1:So let's stay in that theme because, you know, 2021, man, we are wrapping up and those who know us know that we have these big moments of reflection on the year and what it brought and how we got through it right um. So I was just looking at our year and you know, unfortunately, we only have 30 episodes this year no, we have to flip that oh reframe yes.
Speaker 2:Okay, Fortunately we got in 30 episodes with all the things we had to do in our busy schedule and busy year.
Speaker 1:Yes, thank you for that. We had a lot of life changes.
Speaker 2:We really did.
Speaker 1:At work at Genco, in our personal lives family You're right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a lot to run a business. Go to work. I mean, you still have to maintain your nine to five even though you have a business that you're trying to get off the ground.
Speaker 2:But we put in just as much effort and energy into our business as we do everything else because we are determined to succeed. And I'm committed to that, because someone put it to me this way You're willing to put in 40 years for someone else, but won't put in any for your own job or your own business, right? And so I got to put in just as much hard work in my business as I do into my career. That's so true, so that you know we can see success on every level.
Speaker 1:And so it's absolutely right that if you're working for an employer, you absolutely should give them all Everything Right During that time of your schedule, yep. And so, with that being said, we really got to make sure, you and I, that we've got enough in our tank to keep going outside of the eight-hour day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you got to stop on the way home and get some fuel.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we want to put into us what we put into everybody else. There you go, and I think that's fair and that sounds like a good goal. So I love the positivity and the optimism that you just showed. Such a good example of how to reframe and see things differently. So we were able to do 30 wonderful episodes this year and, cory, within the year we expanded into 16 more countries.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, yeah, wasn't that one of those moments like what is happening right now? Who are they?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Who do they think they are?
Speaker 1:Exactly and I haven't had the time to really delve in to where the you know what countries there are, but I think I had put a post. Let me see what I said. We're in 50 countries and I said 145 more to go Right, but the last time I looked at that count, so in just a matter of a month we're now in 56 countries and I think that's just that's so humbling and I'm like wow, and it's funny because and you know, I'm going to go back to the quilt but I'm very squirrel moment because I'm just excited. Oh no, that's a great excitement right there.
Speaker 1:I want to talk about it too, please okay.
Speaker 1:So it's interesting when we run into people and they're like congratulations, I'm so happy for you, I'm so excited and I forget right. I'm like what are we talking about? Well, you know, what exactly are we excited about? Because I'd love to know. And they're like oh, we listened to the podcast, oh, I saw this on social media and on Corey's social media, and so that's so awesome. And I have to remember that, yeah, we do have people that connect with us and, although we're not in an active dialogue on this podcast, people know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they know, and that's a good opportunity for me, because that's happened to me as well. People are like congratulations. I'm like so are you congratulating me on the new book, on the music that we're doing on the next couple of shows? We got coming up the podcast, what exactly? And they're like no, all of it. I'm like, oh great.
Speaker 1:Even better. That's beautiful, and they know about our challenges too, right? We had a lot of people ask are you okay? How's the move going?
Speaker 2:oh, yeah, do you need help.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was that. That's beautiful too. So let's go back to the quote, shall we sure? Because I really want to ask you, cory? Um, because I don't know. If you do, I do, I do and I dare everyone to do too. Um, because at the beginning of take the elevator, a lot of the producing was me yeah and you were just such a great support through it all.
Speaker 1:As the years have passed.
Speaker 1:We've co-produced and you've produced wonderful shows on your own and I'm just a support in there to talk about it. So I love when people notice your level of wisdom and understanding and depth through this episode or through this podcast, because a lot of people don't know that about you unless they really know you or have an opportunity to chat with you. Right, thank you. Yeah, so I know there have been episodes or proposed episodes that haven't happened because we thought, ah, not the right climate, not the right messaging. So, in honor of the movie we just watched with the village, what are some episodes or topics that you did not talk about or do because, um, other people might not have liked it and we're not going to expand, we're just going to let them land, yeah, yeah, and see what happens well, I'll start off with one, and it's a heavy one, so I want to kind of hit it and get off of it because, um, if you know me, then you know I do a lot of reading, a lot of research, uh, based on temperature, climate of, of society.
Speaker 2:And then not only that, just for my, my wellness, I need to have information to pull from. Um, and let me just share with this real quick Um, 50%, 56% of adults don't read books after high school, and so it's offensive to me to think that I have opportunities to read and we have as many books as we own. And, yes, jen and I have a library between ourselves to not dig and search and do research. But one of the heavy topics that I've wanted to talk about for the longest is how, in America, 840,000 children go missing a year, a year, and the staggering amount of kids that are actually found is so just not even if you, if you bring it up, you're going to be embarrassed that we're not all putting in some more effort.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how do you not talk about a million? Pretty much, yeah, innocent lives are just missing and asking those questions about what's happening with them and where they go and we are passionate about children and that stat, that reality just breaks our hearts yeah, and I just wanted to say you know that's 40 seconds.
Speaker 2:Every 40 seconds a child goes missing in the united states. Nuts, that's nuts. And you're right, we have, we've been on this journey to educate and give literacy and pass literacy on to the next generations and the next generations. And creativity right and just the importance of the art, yeah, and so that's one of those things that a lot of people just can't palletize, and so that's why I've purposely said you know what, let me not jump too deep into that. We may really turn some people off, but you ask, so I'm just telling you.
Speaker 1:I absolutely did ask and what I love for people listening because you all are so great about messaging me on Instagram or text. If you have my personal phone email, yeah.
Speaker 1:Is. Let me know what you all think. Maybe there are topics. You know, I just did what's it called Corey? I just kind of put some feelers out there and a couple episodes ago I asked hey, what do you want us to talk about? And because it's the holidays, I get it. It's real. You know, sweet family stuff which we love, yeah, which we would never not do? Um, but let's do real talk like, what topics do you want to hear um conversation on? Yeah, so that's one, okay, and that one's the big one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's that's going to be about the heaviest thing I drop. Uh, well, give me one of yours if I?
Speaker 1:I'm just gonna be honest, see, even right now, that quote from the village is coming to my mind here I go filtering, but I really, because I have a heart for women and young women and I know that is my niche, if you will, and who I'm supposed to plug into more and I get that and I just want to talk about women's rights and where we're going in this country and just have dialogue around that right. So that that piece also with the women thing. I had talked to a good friend of mine, we had dinner and she loved how at ease I talk about all things regarding women, from potential abuse to the journey of now experiencing a healthy lifestyle, including sex right and see, even that is taboo in my culture, but to be able to be free to talk about those things and celebrate those things about being a woman things I haven't touched on really here yeah, yeah, indeed, and trust me, I know your passion because I live with you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so I hear the things that you are batting back and forth, whether you're going to talk about them or whether you're going to use them in some kind of other outlet.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know I'm a firm believer in the right place, right timing, and all that too yes, and use wisdom yeah using wisdom based on our current um life and how it impacts, you know, and has a ripple effect.
Speaker 1:So we love what we have going on right now. But, yeah, those are. That would be my number one, my number one for sure. Yeah, and I know, cory. I love it because there was um someone who said, jen, are you a cory conspiracy theorist? Oh, so I think some of the stuff we would talk about at times might fall into that category.
Speaker 1:Oh, if you go there, jen, I'm, I'm, there's no stopping you none I just love that there's a different perspective to things versus what we've been taught or what we've been told, to the possibilities of more. You know, my team just put on something for the end of the year and it was called the Doorway to Possibilities, and that just really stuck with me. Yeah, the possibilities to find out something more. Yeah, the possibilities to have what you've been told proven to be true.
Speaker 2:Well, since you've opened the door.
Speaker 1:We're opening it. I can hear it creaking open.
Speaker 2:Let's talk you know very surface level, I'm not going to go too far into anything that you know is going to be offensive or anything. But you know, when a lot of life has just been blatantly proven to have been a lie, some of these lies have to be explained, some of these questions have to be answered. And I'll give you a really good one, and an easy one. Nasa can't come out and say we no longer have the telemetry to get to and from the moon, we've lost it all and that's it. No other explanation, right? So it turns from being a conspiracy theory, which you know.
Speaker 2:I don't mind that word or the definition of it. What I mind is is that you try to put that as a label or a moniker. That's going to embarrass people. That's not an embarrassing name anymore, it's actually somewhat of a badge of honor. Yeah, so you know when you have these massive lies. You know we got tapes of people being shot and you have not explained that. And you know people have answers. Right, you are aware of, but you won't explain it. Yeah, our court records are now open.
Speaker 1:Court records and documents have been unsealed it's almost like because time has passed, it's no longer relevant. But god, yes, it is. Yeah, you know anyways.
Speaker 2:One more my huge, in that same vein is how is it that other countries have more solid history on America than we actually do? Yeah, like they have vaults full of American history, true American history, the Vatican being one of them, russia being another one. I don't have anything against either one of these places, but I think we, as Americans, should be able to access our history a little bit easier and a little bit better. But you know, these are the ones you asked.
Speaker 1:No, I have no regrets asking. Another one that just came to my mind is some people have asked me you know when, especially when we run into people from our past. So what church do you go to now? And, um, I love how, with ease, you say our own. Yeah, right, and I'm kind of like in my head stuttering, like like, how do I answer that? So one of the things I would have loved to talk about is why we left organized religion and what we, what we believe today. But again, again, these are, these are the topics. So, just so you all know, these are the things that pull at our hearts, and maybe it's for good reason I'm asking this question, because who knows what next year is going to bring.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Right, it may open lots of doors of opportunity or maybe even another podcast, because it's not the platform here, but we can elevate in another way, under a different name, on another show Uh-oh Done.
Speaker 1:Watch out, because what we get a lot is don't you all have a lot to do already? And, corey, we were watching this. She calls herself a spiritual entrepreneur and how did she say that the determination it's um like nonsensical. But it wasn't nonsensical, it was just over the top determination, um, a desire, a forever desire to become, yeah, right, and I totally feel that with us. Oh yeah, and I love that you lead that charge and I have to say 2024, it's been a blast co-leading and doing a lot of following this year. Like it is amazing to be in the passenger seat with you as, like, the full creative person that you are, and people say like, well, jen, didn't you do that before? Oh, corey, I could tell you, I kicked and screamed and said no.
Speaker 2:I don't want to do that?
Speaker 1:No, I'm too tired. What do you mean? We're going to do this? We're still doing this, and I've shared on this podcast, actually, that sometimes you move super fast, right, but I've just seen us come together and it's not that we're accommodating each other. There has been beautiful compromise, but above that, this year has just been very collaborative in the true sense of the word, and guys, we've been together for 22 years, and when I say 22 years in and I feel like we finally hit that sweet spot- of true collaboration yeah, and, and I'll just add on to what you just told me or told you you're telling me, but you're telling, told the 56 countries.
Speaker 1:Yes, that's exactly what I was trying to say.
Speaker 2:So you know, everyone has their speed, their gear and their motion in life. Uh-huh, mine is just a little bit faster than most people, and it's not on purpose. It's just that I realized a few years back that I could go faster, and if I can, then why not? So 60 is not a good cruising speed for me, 120 is. So let's go, let's get it, let's get it done, let's go.
Speaker 1:That's right, because it's interesting, because I love that point, and we always say gosh, time is not just going by fast, it's on a rapid pace. Rapid pace, oh yeah of. And, and everyone I talk to you know time's going by so fast is an understatement. And so when time goes fast, your speed, you need to keep up, you gotta speed up, yeah, you gotta go faster, exactly, and the faster you go, the more efficient you get.
Speaker 2:Yeah, in the beginning it seems like a very rapid pace.
Speaker 1:Because I think there's that difference right between being effective and then being efficient. I think that's where we want to be is efficient, absolutely so. Any other topics that you thought?
Speaker 2:of Maybe just one, except you thought of maybe just one. Okay, so this is december and something really really big is happening next month around the 11th.
Speaker 1:Are we going there already? Can you hold that, because I want to go there okay, because it's huge. Yeah, and one thing I it's always also in my heart is people have asked because you look at our kids and they're good kids, they're great kids People have asked me, jen, how did you have such a tainted wild past and have children the way they are?
Speaker 1:And there's a lot to parenting and the people that help raise your kids and bring them up when you can't. Yeah, um, and there's, like we said, timing is everything dialogue, conversations, connection, that's everything too, and so I would love to be able to share my identities as a woman, from being in management, from being a mom, a wife, a wife, what a wonderful thing that is to be. What a wonderful word, yes, and people say so based on your beliefs. Submission, oh, this word right and um, I said I love it. I love it when you have a man that can strongly lead and while still gently loving and is able to do that strong kind of love thing where you know it's a challenge, championing type thing. It's absolutely a beautiful space to be in. So, anyways, all the roles that I play, from sister, friend, um, auntie, cousin, daughter, right, all the identities I just want to share on all of it yeah, absolutely, and I just want to touch on that a little bit too, because we didn't actually just come into that.
Speaker 2:Where there was submission, there was leadership, there was a great you know man somewhere waiting to be. Yeah, I know it's been a journey. We stumbled into that Absolutely. We were on that bull by accident and decided, you know what, let's hold on tight so we don't get bucked off and hurt ourselves. And that happened to be the best decision is just try to ride it out. Riding it out helped Jen and I become closer, helped us to become more of a partnership in things. When they say it takes a village to raise children, it does, but you have to utilize that village, and we utilize that village to the fullest.
Speaker 2:And then I fell into another situation by accident, and everybody's not going to fall into this. We had a decision to make after leaving aerospace and one of us needed to jump on something quick that was going to be sustainable and long not just sustainable, but was going to be effective. And my idea wasn't going to be as effective as Jen's idea. Her family is in the medical field and she knew that side of the field and side of the family, so it worked out that she was able to jump into school and do that while I played Mr Mom, which again helped us to raise these children in a whole nother manner and a whole nother life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but there were sacrifices, right. Just recently we talked about you shared with mikaela, our daughter, their favorite snacks. Yeah, and I had no idea. I was like I didn't know that was nathan's favorite chocolate bar. I didn't know. Those were the things that he looked forward to getting if we had the money to get them yeah and so you know, as a mom, the things that you miss out on when you have to figure out what to do right, so there's those moments too, but anyways, I just wanted to share that and sure and see where the future takes us.
Speaker 1:So 1-11-25. Go ahead. 1-1. 1-1-1. 2-5. That's right, that's the code.
Speaker 2:That's the code and it's going to. It's a strong number. Yeah, it's going to crack open a whole bunch of different things, guys, and so, as we get excited about what's happening, we've already announced it to you. This is my third book. This is Jen's first official book, with her Congress letter from the Library of Congress with her name printed on it. It's her first author's book.
Speaker 1:And they give you like an identifying number, don't they? Or some kind of?
Speaker 2:Your ISBN. Everything is legit across. I got an.
Speaker 1:ISBN, an SSN, a California DL, here she goes. A BMI, oh my goodness.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and so it's a big deal, because when you do that amount of work and it's a lot of work you know this. Yeah, from start to finish. You know, we've learned about publishing, we've learned about writing, we've learned about editing, we've learned about ISBNs, we've learned about copyright. It's a lot of stuff to take in, and when you get to that point where you're seeing the fruits of your labor and we've seen it, yeah, and it's good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's exciting, and we updated our website.
Speaker 2:Yes, we did.
Speaker 1:It was fuzzyfurryforestcom.
Speaker 2:Yeah, please go take a look at it, listen to one of the songs on there and sign up on our readers list so we can stay in contact and you can get new information before everybody else does, because, guys, honestly, we don't remember to announce everything on the podcast yeah, yeah, plus we want to talk about other things besides you.
Speaker 1:You know just.
Speaker 2:Children's books yeah, even though that's a great topic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I even think Anyways, forget what I think because I've been thinking too much here but yeah, if y'all can go on there and just engage with us and doing our own work. I just want to put this out there right now Ruffles and Oswald are, um beautifully priced at ten dollars. We're we're thinking that next season, so after sheriff slinky snake, there's going to be a bit of a increase in price. But what we love about the books is that towards the end of these books now there's activity sheets, so you're getting more value than just the book itself yeah kids would be real active in it.
Speaker 1:Speaking of active, you guys, we gave a free ruffles plushie away. We are going, we are giving a free oswald the owl plushie and this beautiful plushie is big like it's so comforting, yeah, so, um, we already have some people that are putting the raffle. Please follow me on jen the builder underscore elevate because all the stuff is on there and we really want to give this away. The plushie is valued at over 100. Beautiful work done by Vanessa. So we want to make sure to have Oswald fly into your beautiful hands and guys.
Speaker 2:I wanted to clear this up because we work with two Vanessas and we have one, vanessa V Montano, who is our illustrator, and the other, vanessa, is the plushie maker.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And both incredibly talented and I love working with them extremely talented people, and when you're sitting next to one and wake up next to one every day, it just makes your life so complete nice, nice anyways, um, we're gonna play a song, and this one's oswald's his theme song.
Speaker 1:If you haven't got the book, it's on Amazon and if you have direct contact with us, corey does sign the book. We do children's readings. We've got some gigs lined up for next year and we would love to be at your church, at your school, at your organization, whatever it is, school at your organization, whatever it is. And we have such a good time with the kids because it involves reading the book, coloring, um, asking them questions and hearing from them dancing and dancing yes, the whole nine. So please, if you're interested, or if you think um, someone or someone you know is interested, please reach out to us yeah, and you can pick up that book, like she said, on amazon under cory k-o-r-y l as in larry or love, or love.
Speaker 2:Don't ask what the l is about, because we won't share that with you last name is body b-o-d-y, and jen will soon have her own little thing going on, so we're working all that out right now. But here's the song that uh, little thing going on. So we're working all that out right now, but here's the song that I wrote. I wrote this song.
Speaker 1:Yes, you did.
Speaker 2:For the Oswald Waltz. And yes, there's a dance and I do it with the kids when we go out and read so fun, it's so fun.
Speaker 1:Well, you know us to take the elevator. We say look up and let's elevate, and it's okay to clap your hands, nod your heads, do whatever it is. Have a great day, everybody. Let's go. Make sure when you're doing everybody knows it's the Oswald Waltz. Corey is singing live right now. By the way, we are partying in the studio. You can do it in the mirror.
Speaker 2:You can do it outside, you can do it with your people.
Speaker 1:You can do it in your eyes. Come on, do the Oswald Waltz. It's nobody's fault, you can do it, you can do it. Do the Oswald Waltz, you can do it works. You can do it. You can do it, you should do it. Uh-oh, is there a build up? Yes, here it is. Come on now, let's go. Hey, do the Oswald Waltz. It's nobody's fault, you can do it, you can do it. Do the Oswald Waltz, you can do it. You can do it. You should do it the way.
