You're listening to the Creating a Brand podcast success story segment.

I am your host, Alex San Felipe.

In this short segment of the show, I bring on friends of the podcast to share a motivational,

inspiring, and sometimes even challenging story from their entrepreneurial journey,

along with a

practical takeaway for us to implement. The point is for each of us to be able to learn and

grow from the experiences of others. With that said, please enjoy today's success story episode.

My name is Michelle Hoagland, and I'm with Paladin Global Market. You can find me on my

YouTube channel, Facebook page, website and podcast all by the same name, Paladin Global Market.

Today I'm going to share a story with you about something that's very near and dear to my heart,

making the most of our time, because our time is so precious. So over 16

years ago, I was pregnant with my first child. At that time, I had been in my dental career for

over 15 years, and I had every intention to return back after maternity leave. My sweet little girl

decided to come about three weeks early where I had a

C-section. And after that surgery and being a new mom, I'm finally home. The house is quiet. I'm sitting in the

rocking chair holding this sweet, precious little gift. And I look into her beautiful blue eyes. And then it hit me. Oh my gosh,

I cannot return back to work. What in the world was I thinking? I need to be able to stay home with her.

I need to be able to raise her. She's only going to be this little once, and I need to do something

fast. I only had six weeks

of maternity leave, and you know how it is, possibly as a new parent, you're sleep deprived. I'm

healing from a major surgery, and I'm trying to find a way to make a viable income so I could

stay home with her. So fast forward, six weeks came and went.

...