Make it a Party! Podcast — Season 1, Episode 2: Why Not Make Everything a Party? Guest Jordin Johnson
Season 1, Episode 2:
Why Not Make Everything a Party? Stories from a vulnerable leader and restaurant owner, guest Jordin Johnson
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Content warning: divorce
Today's guest is Jordin Johnson, owner of Blanc Champagne Bar in Midtown Kansas City, Missouri. She's a corporate marketer turned restaurateur. Mainly because she love bubbles and celebrations... with a little dash of "prove myself (and everyone around me) that I can do it"!
She own an amazing restaurant in the heart of KC, manages about 20 employees, and loves creating special memories for every person who walks through their door. She's also been on a self healing journey and is constantly searching for purpose and balance in everything she does.
Topics we cover are around leading with care, intention and empathy, being a collaborative leader who likes to say, “look at what we built” not just myself!
Jordin is wildly open and vulnerable in this episode. If you are going through or have gone through a divorce, launched a business, or had any other especially hard times, this episode will likely be very relatable.
Follow Jordin Johnson @blancchampagnebar on all platforms
Connect with the host, Haley Grayless, MSOD
https://www.instagram.com/the_haleygrayless
https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleygrayless/
Special thanks to our sponsor, Leader One Financial, for their recording space!
Music on this podcast is from the song "Grateful" by the local Kansas City band, The Canterberries. Stream and download their album, Flying Around. Follow them on Instagram for upcoming show dates @the_canterberries 🍓 🫐 🍒
Transcript is below. Please forgive any grammatical errors and misspellings, as this was created by the software system used to record and edit the podcast with minimal edits.
Haley: (00:00.024)
Hi, and welcome to the Make It a Party Podcast. I'm so excited about today's guest. She's my longtime friend, Jordin Johnson. So Jordin is a corporate marketer turned restauranteer, restauranteur. Uh-huh. And so this is mainly because she loves bubbles and celebrations with a dash of prove myself and everyone around me that I could do it. I love that. so she owns an amazing restaurant here in the heart of KC that I've been to a few times. It's amazing. We love Blanc.
Jordin: (00:15.747)
Yeah
Haley: (00:31.404)
She manages about 20 employees and loves creating special moments for everyone who walks through their door. She's also been on a self-healing journey. I love this. So we'll talk a lot about that today for a while now. And she is constantly looking for purpose and balance in everything you do. I love that. Okay, so Jordin and I used to work together. So she was in marketing and I was in fundraising and we both got out of there. So I remember we were at
Jordin: (00:49.314)
Yeah, pretty much sums it up.
Jordin: (01:01.198)
Yeah.
Haley: (01:02.602)
We were at a amazing, what was that? Like probably our seventh or eighth annual like girls cookie and Christmas ornament exchange at our friend's house. Yes. yeah. So you had already like built your business plan and your presentation. And so she actually pulled it up on our friends TV and showed us the business plan. It was amazing. And so we're so excited that like it has just come to fruition. You have
Jordin: (01:12.322)
Yes. That's where all the great ideas come from.
Haley: (01:27.81)
Built this business. It's one of the cutest restaurants I've ever seen. And it's not just a champagne bar, like is in the title, Blanc Champagne Bar, but it is a full restaurant. Yep. Yeah.
Jordin: (01:36.734)
through everything from cocktails to small bites to full service kitchen. So yeah, I mean Haley pretty much summed it up. It was kind of serendipitous that, you know, you find people in your life that you want to continue to have life with. And I think we personally have gone through so much life together that we started at United Way, all very like new in our careers. And then we all kind of, there's what, five of us that kind of separated ways and have
built really cool lives and careers and we've always consistently stayed in touch and we bounce ideas off each other and we're we like to say we're very high functioning people. So I think when you find people that are like very like minded and driven, you just are completely drawn to them. So we always have our annual ornament exchange. We get together a couple of times a year and I feel like there's always like major life updates when that happens. yeah.
The last one, what was it two years ago? Yeah, two years ago, we had our cookie exchange and I literally was like had like my business plan and I projected it onto the TV.
Haley: (02:41.912)
I took a lot of recordings and videos. Maybe I'll include that in the social post about this.
Jordin: (02:45.708)
No, that was embarrassing. I got up and I was like, guys, I think I'm gonna open a champagne bar and I had like my mood board and like my projections and everybody was like, What? You're crazy.
Haley: (02:55.19)
It was amazing. Because you don't have a lot of restaurant experience from that.
Jordin: (03:01.378)
Yeah. huh. Or bartending? Correct. So I grew up in hospitality essentially. Like talking myself through college. Like, you know, a bartending job. I did a little bit of everything. I did a little like GM back of house experience. So like I had all the components. Yeah. And then shifted kind of into the corporate world. where I feel like I learned a lot of skills that could translate well to the restaurant. and yeah, I was just a little bit of delusion and a little bit of
Haley: (03:04.258)
Had you even done that? Yes.
Jordin: (03:30.22)
Believe in yourself and it made it happen.
Haley: (03:33.526)
absolutely. I love it. Well, so this is like the perfect guest, I feel like, for my podcast to make it a party because you make you made this restaurant literally like, I mean, a champagne bar is a party. Like we had our centurions task force day actually stopped by Blanc on Main because we were taking all these different stops along the streetcar in the city. And I didn't go to that one because I had been and I wanted to make I liked it.
gave space for other people since I'm very familiar with Blanc. Right. And people came back just raving about it and how you taught them how to properly open a champagne box. Yes. So that was amazing
Jordin: (04:04.078)
It's all about the education. Yeah. Yeah. I learned so much. And so I love to share that knowledge with people. But absolutely. Yeah, that group of people, you know, being in corporate, I wanted to make I wanted to make it a party for them, right? Like a lot of what I feel like I bring that feels different than anything else in Kansas City is that ability to make people feel like you can celebrate anything and it doesn't have to be a big moment, right? Like I think people innately like
Sh champagne and celebrations go hand in hand and you feel like you have to have like a really big reason to like drink champagne a lot of times like New Year's or a wedding or a proposal. But like I wanna make champagne approachable and something that you can drink on a Wednesday and be like, What are you celebrating? I'm celebrating a girl's night out or that I just Today, right? That I'm able to get out of my office and have a happy hour with some girlfriends.
Haley: (04:38.303)
yeah.
Haley: (04:53.58)
Made it through the day.
Haley: (04:59.83)
Peace.
Jordin: (05:00.472)
Just celebrating small things. And I think we get away from that with like just the grind of life. Yeah. So I love being able to create a space. Yeah. And I think the other thing is like there's not a lot of like overtly feminine spaces in Kansas City that feel like safe and approachable, but also like it feels like it's a space for
Haley: (05:05.223)
yeah.
I love that.
Jordin: (05:23.66)
women, but we're all inclusive. We have everyone. Totally. But I think we have a lot of dive bars. We had a lot of sports bars in Kansas City. So I really wanted to lean into that femininity a little bit.
Haley: (05:35.32)
You definitely did with all the florals, beautiful greens, and like kind of pinkish magentos.
Jordin: (05:41.428)
And champagne colors and obviously the other part of it. I did take a trip to Europe in this and we'll get to that in this whole like healing journey and how I got here. But just Italy, you've been to Europe. Yeah, it's just like everything's so gorgeous, like unintentionally gorgeous, like just the architecture and the history and you walk through it's like vines and florals just growing beautifully. And I wanted to kind of bring a piece of that to the space that made it feel a little bit more European.
And I've got a lot of feedback that it feels that way. Like you kind of step into this space that kind of takes you out of Kansas City.
Haley: (06:16.364)
Well, I remember walking in the first time and just having my breath taken away. So my birthday, which Jordin and I are both Scorpios, and her birthday's the day before mine. Crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Pretty cool. So early November girlies. Sometimes it's election day. That's a good
Jordin: (06:24.748)
Yeah, that's pretty cool.
Jordin: (06:33.163)
Okay.
Haley: (06:34.346)
and so I remember walking in and like my breath was taken away. Like it was that amazing. that's so you did an amazing job. So if people live in Kansas City, I recommend going to Yeah, go see Jordin at Blanc and you don't even have to be celebrating something big. No, you know, that's why I mean, totally getting make it a party. Like it's such a great connection because the reason I named my podcast this was because a few years ago, my friend and I were on a walk in Hyde Park. Yeah, and we were like walking by another person's house I knew, and I was like, we should stop there and say hi. And she said,
Haley, not everything has to be a party. So I was like, but why not? Why would you just want to make everything a party? Yeah. Like, and a party doesn't mean you have to be like even drinking. It doesn't mean you have to be because you can go to Blanc and get a mocktail or just food or whatever. But it's not about that. It's like, I want my life, and this is just very aligned with my values, to feel like big and exciting. And and I define that as like, I don't know, life-giving, enriching. Like that can be days where I'm like, I I want to watch.
like last night I just I discovered the show Traders. Yeah. And I spent a lot of time watching. So I just I made it a party. I had my my dense bean salad, hung out with my dog. I don't love it. Had a LaCroix. And like I don't know, to me that even can be like making it a party. Like make make the bet your your life the best it can be. So yeah, go support a local business and do that. so we talked me too. I'm
Jordin: (07:47.982)
I love that. That's yeah.
Jordin: (07:54.958)
Make it a party. Make it a party. I've seen a lot of things lately, like we I think coming into our latter part of our career, we're still so young. So we have so much ahead of us. But thank you for but I've heard some things about like taking your day back. and you spend so much time like this to do list and checking these things off and you know, hustling and this grind culture and all of that. But like
You know, there are things that are mandatory you have to get done, right? To survive and be an adult. But like this taking your day back thing is like, what are things that I can control that like little things that bring me joy? Like, okay, I spend, you know, eight hours working hard doing something that may is not may not be my passion. But like what are little things throughout the day that you can, you know, romanticize, but in just like a way that just brings you peace. And like, yeah, the little thing of like
Haley: (08:44.13)
Yeah.
Jordin: (08:47.0)
Cooking a salad just for yourself and like enjoying it with your dog and making it feel special.
Haley: (08:51.498)
Yeah. And like getting into a new show where I'm like, this is good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Well that's funny because like I feel like even when I was in Europe, yeah, I just went a few months ago. I know.
Jordin: (08:54.83)
Yeah, right. We're like excited about that.
Jordin: (09:04.846)
My gosh, that's those those experiences are life-changing. yeah. It really does change your perspective.
Haley: (09:08.602)
And I would say things like this is this is such a like I was with my cousin, my female cousin. We do not have a, you know, romantic relationship. But it was, I would say sometimes like, my gosh, this is such a like rom this is so romantic. Sure. And it doesn't mean like I feel romantic with you. This moment I'm romanticizing, it's it's mesmerizing to me these buildings or this these trees or that like we went to like the Arctic Circle in Norway and saw the northern lights and like looking at the Aurora Borealis and thinking like that's ro that's romantic.
Jordin: (09:38.176)
So romantic.
Haley: (09:39.094)
And I guess I would have loved to maybe have a man there to celebrate it with, but the moment is still like a romantic moment and I can like make that a a party. I laid in the mosque in Tromsso, Norway, and like just watched this the sky dance with lights. Like I mean it's like taking me back just even thinking about it right now. my god, I like so that can be making it a party as well. Yeah.
Jordin: (09:59.19)
It's like really going back to like your childhood self where like things are just so exciting and like takes you out of the moment of life, right? And like thinking about anything else except like these gorgeous lights in front of you and the grass touching your body. We don't have enough moments like that.
Haley: (10:14.888)
totally. Right. And it was so soft, like it was almost like you could kind of felt mushy like to to step on it or to lay in it. And I mean it was so cold that it was like, I don't think there's like bugs that are gonna get in my hair. So who the fuck cares? Yeah. Exactly. Who cares?
Jordin: (10:30.862)
I mean the moment, like am I ever gonna be able to experience something like this again?
Haley: (10:34.254)
total. And then it turns out like a month later we had the northern lights here. Yeah. Did you see them? No. I was so sad and it 'cause it was a different color. It was more like purpley magenta here and so I missed it. Didn't even know what was happening.
Jordin: (10:46.094)
I didn't either, yeah. And then I saw pictures and I was like, what? Right. That happened. But you had s seen the probably the better version of it.
Haley: (10:49.961)
I was so disappointed.
Maybe, yeah. I mean a very different color and like longer and it was but still I was very sad I missed out on it. Yeah.
Jordin: (11:00.332)
Yeah, I love that ability to kind of take yourself out of the day to day.
Haley: (11:03.586)
Yeah. When you mentioned grounding, so yeah, I don't know, do you spend time like being mindful or using meditation or how do you help your own mental health?
Jordin: (11:11.906)
That's a good one. It's funny this I feel like this podcast came at a really good time because I'm very much in this like and I think you mentioned like the healing journey and all of that. And that almost felt forced in the beginning that it was like I have to heal, like I was forcing myself to heal and do these things that like you know the world tells you to do. Like
structure and meditate and work out and all you know, eat right and all of these things that just ground you and regulate your nervous system and all of these things. but they didn't feel authentic really because I was still in this like fight or flight.
Haley: (11:47.916)
mode. Do you mind kinda sharing why you were in that fight or
Jordin: (11:50.326)
Yeah, of course. Yeah. So in twenty twenty-two I went through a pretty rough divorce. my whole life completely changed. so I moved to California. I'm born and raised in Kansas City. Moved to California in where my my h current husband's job took us out there. It was like in the middle of COVID, but yeah, except yeah, that that current husband's no longer current husband.
Haley: (12:12.59)
Well former husband. Former husband.
Jordin: (12:20.056)
We moved to California and he was it was mainly for his job and I was working remotely at Hallmark, so it worked out fine for me. but it was a whole culture shock in of like I didn't ever think I would leave Kansas City and it happened really quickly. So we moved out there living this like dream life for two or three years. he was making money like I'd never seen. Like I didn't grow up.
Haley: (12:40.566)
Yeah.
Jordin: (12:47.348)
in money. I, you know, we took payday loans out for the first like couple years of our relationship. So we both like had this trajectory that was like zero to sixty. and I think it was like just a shock to change my lifestyle and have this total totally new lifestyle. Yeah. so yeah in California, me, my son and my husband ex-husband,
Went out there, I was working remote, felt really good. I lived eight minutes from the beach and I would like ride my bike down to the beach and run on like in front of these million dollar houses. And I was like, what is this life? but that came with the cost, you know. I'm a very Midwest girl. I'm very simple, like I don't need all of that flashy stuff. But I learned that that is what he wanted. so
a rift kind of started to happen between the marriage. and he did some not so great things. you know, would rather put his money up his nose. The best way to say it. Fill in those blanks. but yeah, I just I saw this train wreck happening slow slowly but pretty quickly in front of my eyes where it was like this I you know, you go to sleep.
Haley: (13:51.214)
Fill in the blanks there, audience.
Jordin: (14:06.88)
Next to a person, you think you know them and you have no idea who they are. So that was really hard to kind of process, not only like not knowing that person, but then trying to figure out like what is next for me. Yeah. So spent a couple of years out there, literally packed up a U-Haul, drove back out to Kansas City because that's where my family's from. my dad flew out and we drove back and
I went through the divorce happened pretty quickly, like finalizing the divorce. But I came out okay just like financially, which was the biggest thing to be able to support me and my son. but it was like, and I'll say kind of why I'm it was like this false healing that I kind of went through. And now I'm kind of on the other side three years later where I'm like really trying to unpack all all of that. so what I'm realizing is I really I
Haley: (14:58.934)
Okay, yeah.
Jordin: (15:03.0)
Homework was kind of like my gr like it felt super familiar. And like I held on to that for a bit. And then I got to the point where and I think you the same where you on constantly want to kind of one up yourself. It's like you get complacent and you're like, okay, what's next? Like I can't, I gotta do something more. Right.
Haley: (15:21.195)
I can't go back to what I've done before because that's regression. Right. Yeah. Yeah. My mindset and I don't know if that's always healthy.
Jordin: (15:23.392)
Right.
Yeah, right. But it I think it's a good thing 'cause it motivates you and pushes you forward. But my intent in opening Blanc, I think there was really positive intent behind it. Yeah. But a lot of it was to kind of disassociate from my past. Like I wanted ev like I didn't want to know that person because it w it was so painful that like my goal was to just move forward so that I could erase that past and that
didn't allow me to like fully grieve, right? no. Because I'm in this like heightened adrenaline state where I'm just like go, go, go, do something. And a lot of it was out of trying to kind of prove to myself, but like subconsciously prove to him that I could be successful on my own. Yep. and then you kind of get out of that like heightened adrenaline state and you build something and you're like, shit, I have to sustain this by myself. Yes. so yeah, it was.
So I'm dealing with a lot of that, like what Blanc was originally kind of made out of this, like woman empowerment. I can do this myself. I wanna like this is what I all of the things that Blanc is that is like celebrations and bringing people together and community. I feel like I've done a beautiful job in creating that, but I'm trying to kind of reframe why I did it because it originally was kind of done out of like spite in a place of like.
Haley: (16:47.925)
wow, yeah.
Jordin: (16:51.368)
I don't even want to know that person that I was before, which is not sustainable. So I'm really trying to kind of I'm in this place now where I'm kind of reframing what Blanc was and why I believe in it and I want to continue it. and just find a place where I'm kind of falling in love with it again. And it's not tied to this negative past. So it's been a weird
Haley: (16:56.394)
No.
Haley: (17:16.438)
Right.
Jordin: (17:18.743)
But yeah, that that was kind of the impetus for it. And I think a lot of people would ask, like, you know, why did you do it? And like so much of my answer has been, you know, I came out of a divorce and I wanted to build something for myself. And like I'm kind of trying to change that narrative and like separate it from the divorce. Right. Because I don't want it to be defined as something that was like just done out of and so I'm trying to like and my nervous system has been like like completely shot.
Haley: (17:34.939)
yeah.
Haley: (17:41.518)
yeah. Right.
Jordin: (17:47.542)
Because you go from, you know, this toxic relationship to then having to manage, you know, a restaurant, a 20 employees, an 18 year old son. I'm a single mom. other relationships that I have. And so I'm in this place where it was like shoot to the moon. And now I'm like, okay, I'm I gotta deregulate a little bit. Trying to find that balance again.
Haley: (18:12.574)
Yes. yeah. Well, and that's good that you are realizing that. You said three years post divorce or whatever. Yep. Like some people would continue in that like false healing, I think longer than you did. And it's great that you are coming out of that sooner. So what would you say, like was I don't know, the what made it false? What were you doing that felt like, okay, this is not sustainable and this isn't even actually healing me?
Jordin: (18:39.544)
Yeah, for sure. Yeah. I I think the stress of owning a restaurant where you come to the realization of like how much work it actually is. And like I you d I mean, I'm still in the red, right? Like it's not financially stable enough to support my life. you know, waking up
with a knot in your stomach and you could probably you being I know the feeling. Yeah. Being a small business owner and like you are the one that you have to answer to. There's nobody else to be like, okay, you gotta get up and do this stuff. And when you kind of slowly start to lose that passion and it becomes your lifeline. Yeah. But then the lifeline feels so thin. Yes. And you start to realize like, okay, I'm I'm like I wanted to create a life that I was really excited about. And because it started to kind of
suck everything out of me, like emotionally, physically, financially, that I had to kind of take a step back and be like, okay, is this what I want to do? Right. Like when I when I'm there, I love it. I love everything I do. I love providing these experiences for people and being a part of the community. And I had a review on Yelp yesterday that was like, I'm s it said something about like we need to be able to keep these places that are creative and cool in Kansas City. And like we need to support these businesses.
Haley: (20:00.59)
What a nice person, yes.
Jordin: (20:00.982)
Doing cool things. But that's so kind 'cause that's exactly what makes Kansas City cool, are like those independent restaurants that like provide experiences. Like when I wanna be the restaurant that like when you come from Chicago or when the World Cup comes, that you're like you have to go to this place. Different than anything you can get anywhere else, like one of one. Right. so I'm proud of that, but it's I have to have that same level of passion throughout.
Haley: (20:18.562)
absolutely.
Jordin: (20:30.872)
To be able to sustain it.
Haley: (20:32.396)
absolutely. Excited about it. Yeah. So and with your job, you can't really like take a break from it. No. Like if I want to, I mean, as a consultant, like there are times when it's like, my schedule's a little lighter. I can have a mental health day. Yeah. And I imagine that it's a lot harder for you to do.
Jordin: (20:47.882)
Yeah, yeah. It's like you can't turn it off. You have a little bit of that where you're constantly thinking about like, Okay, what's the next thing or you know, where is the next client coming from? Or it's yeah, you just you literally can't turn
Haley: (21:02.014)
off. Yeah. Well, and like, I mean, this podcast will not shy from political conversations. So I I think that this is one of the issues with, I mean, what like our government, our country does not like really make us like small business doesn't make it easy for small businesses. Like even during COVID when we had, and I get your your business wasn't open yet, but in 2020 there was the PPP loans, the paycheck protection program or something. And that wasn't even helpful for me because it was based on the
prior year's income. And that was my first year in business. 2019 was my first year in business. So I hadn't, I mean, some people have great year ones. I did not. I didn't know what I was doing. Yeah. Right. Right. And so for people who are listening to this who are thinking about starting a business or who are small business owners, you'll maybe understand or need to hear this. Like, not everybody makes six figures or anywhere close to it or seven figures or whatever what some people make. Yeah. in their first year or 10 years. And so
Jordin: (21:58.072)
So did that hinder you get being able to get relief because you
Haley: (22:01.184)
Well, I I made I got a little money, but it was not even helpful. Yeah. Like it I still got into credit card debt because I barely had any clients in twenty twenty. 'Cause it was second year in business. I thought things were gonna be great, but everything on my calendar that I had like had on it and like cu you know, before the world shut down in mid March of twenty twenty, everybody canceled everything because they were too scared. Yeah, and all people wanted right. Although things that was the issue. Some people
Jordin: (22:23.195)
Yeah, disposable income to spend.
Where they were.
Haley: (22:29.846)
Right. They were just scared to spend it. Sure. And it was very frustrating 'cause like I got a little bit from that, but I was watching people who had very successful businesses that weren't harmed because they've been in business so much longer, buy new cars or you know, redo their kitchen or something and hey, I'm that's fine, stimulate the economy. Yeah.
Jordin: (22:47.5)
Right, in some way, yeah.
Haley: (22:49.478)
that's not what that was for though. And so like are you still paying your teams or are you a like were you actually losing anything? And a lot of people were not. They were making more money. Right. So it's it was frustrating to see that. And maybe that's like a resentful mindset. But yeah, it was hard when you're not like I mean when I was in a position where it's like, I'm not
Jordin: (23:09.678)
truly use that money. Yeah. Keep my business afloat.
Haley: (23:12.926)
and just to keep me out of credit card debt. And so I'm thinking I was so thankful when I got a new client like twenty twenty two who paid like a big chunk all at once. And so for, you know, people who work with like small business or yeah, small businesses or consultants like me instead of like McKinsey or Deloitte or something. No hate to those companies, but I think they're gonna be okay. like when this one like partner I had paid all of their like, I don't know, their retainer all at once. It was the biggest blessing to me. Like
I paid off my credit card. I was able to like have like a is a nest egg the right word? I I like just like a security in the bank. Yeah. It was it was life changing. And I kept I told them that. And then the person who referred me, I was like, I need to tell you this was a life changing that's amazing, yeah. Referral that you gave me. And I took her to lunch. I was like, buy shots, what do you want? Like, get anything. Blanc wasn't open yet, so we can go there. get a steak. But well, it was true food. Do they even have steak? yeah.
Jordin: (23:46.954)
Like it
Jordin: (24:09.059)
Yeah, probably.
Haley: (24:09.65)
Yeah. Also that wasn't a local place. I shouldn't shouldn't have gone there. Rack up the bill. It's what she wanted. It's fine. Yeah. Rack up. But she was like, no, no, no, it's fine. She got something very simple. But so I mean, I I get you. Like having like the I don't know, space to heal and have like mental health focus can be really, really hard. And so that's something like I've I've worked on too. Like, I mean, by having either like a therapist or different coaches or naturopathic healers or even just getting a massage, like those things.
can really, really help, but really it all comes down to like what am I truly doing in my own brain? Yeah. To control my emotions and my reactions to things. A hundred percent. So when you think about like how that applies to your leadership style, how you manage twenty people, how do you feel like you're able to manage in the best ways? Like what's your leadership philosophy, like your approach to leadership? Yeah. I
Jordin: (24:59.212)
that and I think I what I've gone through now with like I think transparency is huge but there's a level of transparency like right there's a line right because at the end of the day the leader has to be the one like holding it all together. Yeah and I think that's been the biggest thing I've struggled with of like and I think in the last couple months I'm realizing like I am a complete
'Cause I have to be on. You have to be on with your clients. Yeah. The a level of energy you have to bring, the level of preparedness you have to bring. Like if you're not competent and you don't feel like you're steering the ship correctly, like the people looking towards you are gonna panic. So you always have to walk in there with like this, we got this, we got the brave face, like we're gonna do it.
Haley: (25:45.782)
Yeah, we're gonna land the plane. It's okay. Exactly. That's what did you watch the Taylor Swift like Aerist Tour documentary? I did, yeah. Where she talks about like the you the pilot can't like, my god, we're chin. Right. Right. There are times when maybe there is nothing they can do. But overall, if there's some turbulence, you gotta just like pop on the overhead speaker and say this is not affecting your safety.
Jordin: (26:03.872)
The calm yeah. Yeah, we're gonna land just fine. Everything's gonna be yes. And you want to that to feel authentic, but I think what was draining me was I felt in a space where I was like very Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, in like the most positive way because I was showing up to work with this, like I got ever all my shit together, you know, and employees are bringing you their problems and you're like, I hear you, I understand.
Haley: (26:09.64)
Right. Here's my plan for it.
Jordin: (26:33.654)
In the back of your mind, you're like, you don't even know what I'm dealing with. And that's not for us to communicate to them. so then I would go home and I'd be so drained. Yeah. And it felt like I was like living two different lives because I had to show up it as my best possible self. And then I was going home feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulder. And that I think was the biggest like just drain and like where I was feeling like disassociated from.
Haley: (26:52.908)
Yeah.
Jordin: (27:02.072)
who I was showing up as externally and who I was showing up when I like the lights went down. Yeah. and so to try to you don't wanna like that's like okay, this is so far off, but like a fucking serial killer or something, like going out murdering people and then they have to like go act like exist in society and maybe their brains operate a little bit.
Haley: (27:24.916)
That's what you 'cause you're not a psychopath. Yeah.
Jordin: (27:26.942)
not so fast but for people that really live two separate lives like a normal person that's not sustainable yeah it's it feels so fake it feels like when you're disconnected from your true self right and that's not carrying through every part of your life that's exhausting and like almost terrifying because I want to throw show up authentically in ever as much as I can you know you're gonna need your time to recharge but like I got to a place where I was like
I'd be on for seven days a week and then I would come home and I just like I wouldn't want to talk to anyone. I wasn't good for myself. I wasn't good for anyone. Caden. Yeah. So I have a son who's 18, which is wild. So that's been a whole nother in a functional way. Yes. And not I mean, I'm blessed that he's 18, not like twelve, where like I would have to show up for him in a much different way.
Haley: (28:04.854)
Yeah, and you have how old is
Turned eighteen. Yeah.
So he meets his mom. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Yes.
Jordin: (28:25.058)
But yeah, I mean I I believe in a leadership style where you are, I mean, even just your energy level completely sets the tone. Yes. For everyone. Hundred percent. You walk in and if you're stressed and you're not, you know, I like to be the the one that like is getting everybody right. Like I want to be that leader that's like, let's go, guys, we got this. And it is has that high level of energy so that people feel that. Yeah. You know, like energy is so important. It is contagious. Yeah.
Haley: (28:52.128)
And it's contagious. You show up and you're in a bad mood, they're gonna be scared of you.
Jordin: (28:57.324)
Yes, yeah. And I don't want people to feel like they're walking on eggshells. And like so I am a big believer of just leaving that bullshit at the door. And that's hard to do. Yeah. Because you have a lot of bullshit when you're like you got creditors knocking on your door and you're like all of these bills that you you know, but bill am I gonna pay today? Yeah. Like what is gonna what am I gonna have to sacrifice? But like leaving that at the door, showing up from my employees a hundred percent and always being that calm.
Captain, I think is so important. I struggle a little bit with like delegation, okay, which I think is something I'm always working on. because I think both of us, you know, being just doers, that it's like I have a level and a standard that I'm like, this is what I expect. Yeah. And if it doesn't get done, I find myself doing it a lot. Yeah. because creating a new brand, you want to preserve.
that brand, right? But if you don't find people that can also step up to that level, then you're doing yourself a disservice. So that's something I'm constantly working on is delegating, but then helping them understand like the why so that they feel just as invested. because otherwise, you know, they don't they're just there to collect a paycheck. Uh-huh. So you have to get that buy-in, right? right. So I kind of revisited recently in the last couple of weeks, I re revisited like our core values. Love.
Haley: (30:06.145)
yes.
Haley: (30:11.79)
huh.
Haley: (30:19.054)
Yeah. Do you mind sharing those?
Jordin: (30:20.883)
mm-hmm. You know I have to probably pull them up. So can I pull them up?
Haley: (30:23.454)
yeah, absolutely. I think people would love to know that. And that's important. Like, I mean, yeah, Vaxa Collective, my business has five main core values also. I love that. And I I try to make sure that like and this is based on I mean I'll quote
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown a million times on this podcast. Brene Brown. Me too. So part two of Dare to Lead in that book, she talks about living into your values. And so she really says, like, as a person, you should have like maybe two main values because every decision you make should be based on is it aligned with those things? Yes. And within a business, I think you can have more than two, but I mean, let's do like max five because otherwise you know, you know what? Like employees can't remember them. Right. Like I work with a lot of companies, and only one company I've worked with can people actually name them. And it's because they're
like integrated into their everything they do. Everything they do. Yeah. And
Jordin: (31:11.65)
So it's like does this feel is this gonna align with the core values? Right, like right. So and they should be easy, like easy.
Haley: (31:17.334)
Yeah, you're remembered. And if they can be an acronym, that's great. I mean I seen a lot of people pairs. Like but I I you I'm always like, Nah, do something different. Like don't do what other people are always doing. And you
Jordin: (31:28.206)
to feel it's gotta be relevant to your business.
Haley: (31:30.762)
absolutely. So some people think like sustainability, why what's that? Right. But for me, like I mean, I was severely impacted by Captain Planet in my childhood. And I'm a big I I'm kind of obsessive with like recycling and reducing, reusing recycling. And yes, I can't go to sleep at night if I this is crazy. Also, I'm remembering a dream I had. I if I like didn't recycle the cans at a party or something, or if I'm somebody asks me.
About not recycling. Or I keep well, actually last night I this is crazy. This happened. It's maybe because I took a muscle relaxer. So sometimes I have some weird dreams. I was I had a dream that we were a bunch of people were on a cliff and it was like a beat like a ocean below. And this group of men had this big rolling dumpster full of disgusting garbage. And I thought they were like taking it out to like put it out, you know, so like a trash truck could pick it up. They literally all ran off the cliff with the dumpster full of
Horrible. Like some of it was like biohazard material. Why would they have that? Yeah. Right. And then it was like, I don't know, bar stuff like bottles and things. Yeah. And they ran off the cliff. And I was like, my gosh, are they gonna die? And they no. After they like climbed back up this ladder all the way. Yeah, I don't know. It's very strange. They literally said, no, this is what we always do. This is how we dispose of our garbage. And I was like, is it legal? Yeah. And they were like, Yeah, yeah, sure. so I don't remember all the details, but it was all these men who literally just dumped a
entire dumpster into the ocean. And so that kind of thing, like it's funny, it shows up in my dreams. It haunts you. It haunts me. And so for me, like I don't need to spend money at like Amazon or another like maybe big bookstore or something for new books if I'm gifting those to clients. Like when I was doing my holiday thank you baskets to clients, yeah I like I have been thrifting those books. So because I mean it but it's also like selfish. I love to pop into a thrift store. I love buying things.
Jordin: (33:24.512)
So but if more people thought that way.
Haley: (33:26.072)
Yeah. Well, and nope, you don't need a new copy of this book. Like this even if there were like a few markings in it, that'll only help the reader think how What did they yeah, what did what little note did they make or what did they underline? I but most of the time they're completely like pristine books. Sure. And so I I put those in there and then even the baskets themselves were from thrift stores. And I was like, This is something I should post about so people can see an example. I love that. not to brag, but to say, like, if you care about sustainability, here's just a super easy example of what to do. I love that. Yeah.
Jordin: (33:32.344)
Yeah, right. Yeah. What did that person find in?
Haley: (33:56.022)
Yeah and like impact is another one. Like I don't want what I ever do with clients to feel like, that was in one ear and out the other, and we don't remember a single thing. That can still happen, but I do everything I can to help them integrate whatever the workshop content is into their like actual daily work that they do. Okay. Did you find
Jordin: (34:13.91)
The impact is huge because it's like you want each of your things to feel actionable. Yeah. Right. I think there are a lot of like values or things that like just go over people's heads. Yeah.
Haley: (34:24.36)
Everybody says integrity. Yeah. Which I'm not saying you shouldn't have integrity, right? But maybe define integrity in a unique way to your company or yourself. Or what does that mean? Put yeah, put the word integrity in a different word a different values definition. Like sure. We want to like customer service, maybe if and which a lot of people have that too is just fine, but maybe put the integrity into that definition. Yes, you know? 100%. Like you don't have to have 10 or 12 values.
Jordin: (34:47.822)
Specific. Yeah, specific integrity because at the end of the day, most people in our, you know, if you're in corporate or whatever, you're gonna have integrity.
Haley: (34:56.522)
Like but yeah, I mean and I always tell people you have to define this. Like either look up the, you know, definition in the dictionary and then but make it your own. Yeah. Because some people can't do it. They it's so funny how I've noticed people can't really think on their toes sometimes. That's one thing I'm working with clients on. If you're a leader, how often do you have to think on your toes? You can't just be like, give me a I mean sometimes you might be like, you know, like let me see. You cannot stew on things. Like seeing you gotta like answer questions quickly. Yeah.
Jordin: (35:18.602)
Make a decision very quickly.
Haley: (35:25.28)
So I mean, yeah, I'm a big believer in that. I love that.
Jordin: (35:27.724)
Yeah, no, those are and you deal with that all the time and you deal with people that that's not their like day to day. Right. Like they're like, I need you to tell me, but you're like, I need you also to understand your business. Right. Right.
Haley: (35:38.978)
Exactly. People kind of move through life unintentionally, I've noticed. Not everyone, but I try to be very intentional and like focused. Like great at that. Well, things. But I like that's why a vision board is actually a really good thing. And that's why thinking about your values and like putting them in a place you can see, especially for somebody like with ADHD, like me. Like I I have object permanence blindness or whatever. So that's why like I have I mean it may look yeah, and things may look sometimes chaotic to certain people who are more minimal minimalistic, but
I have to do that, otherwise I forget it exists. Yeah. So I like having my vision board out. That's kind of the purpose of it, you know, but also values written on my whiteboard and Right. You can always like er erase it or edit or something, but And that's I think worth
Jordin: (36:14.902)
You can always go back to it.
Jordin: (36:20.172)
Been is like I've lost a lot of those like North Star type of things because I have just so many things coming at me. And so it's so important to kind of go back to those things to really like ground you. Yeah, exactly. Like my whole life has felt chaotic. So I'm like, and your why can change. Yeah, totally why has changed a
Haley: (36:30.784)
Yeah. Like what's your why?
Haley: (36:37.966)
But it needs to be like connected to what you're doing. Correct. So it's interesting. I'll also ask clients sometimes if they what's like what is your why? We'll go around the the room and maybe talk about that. And I need to do some like better in a empowerment of pre-work for them where they can maybe journal this out or or like speak it out or something before because what they'll say is, I need a paycheck.
Or I do this for my family. And it's like, no, why do you work at this bank? Your kid didn't tell you to work at this bank. Right. You chose this. Yeah. Right. But I think that also ties to like the lack of well, the problems with post or you know, capitalism. Yeah. And like not giving people the ability to have just more security in their life. Like they're they're like, you know, I can't even think about why I work at this freaking bank or this advertising agency or whatever. Yeah. Because I so much just like I just need to get
Jordin: (37:30.925)
Need
Haley: (37:31.084)
A job. I need a job. I just need to get paid. I don't really care what I'm doing. Right. And that's a sad way to live life, I think. Like I don't want to be. Yes. I don't that's yeah. Right. How can you more intentionally say, okay, I work on this accounting team because I really like helping people get organized and I love I love managing a spreadsheet because da da da da. I mean, I can't relate to those things because I don't I don't, I'm not an accountant. No, no, no, but I love right. I love the people who
Jordin: (37:38.156)
the way you're looking at life that that carries through.
Haley: (37:59.586)
Have a brain that works so differently than mine because that like nice diversity is a complement to my more, I don't know, pie in the sky brain. Yeah.
Jordin: (38:08.12)
You're like, I define my brain as like, and you'll look at my computer is like all of these tabs open. And those are all the different things that my brain is like constantly like, this is important for me. This is important for me. I love it. Okay. Am I great? Can you still see me? Okay, cool. Cause I switched over to okay. So and my values are so like I wanted to make them fun because I have a a younger demographic. My employee base is, you know, Gen Z early millennials.
So I'll kind run through these, but and I yeah, I just feel like we're evolving, I think in general, of like being a little more personable and making them feel actionable without them feeling stuffy. Yeah. And I think that's kind of the whole impetus of Blanc is like, I want champagne to not feel stuffy. Yeah. so my first thing is and make it a party. one of my first ones is celebrate the hell out of everything. Ooh.
Haley: (39:03.01)
Ooh, I like it here.
Jordin: (39:04.046)
So for birthdays, breakups, Tuesday happy hours, all of it. If it calls for bubbles, we're on it. We make people feel celebrated and seen. So that's the first.
Haley: (39:12.106)
Obsessed. Great definition. I love it.
Jordin: (39:14.818)
Yeah, yeah. Okay. Second one. Everyone's welcome here and we support our community. We treat everyone, guests, team, vendors with kindness and respect. It's a safe space at all times, and we are proud to be a part of the KC community. be the host with the most. Whether it's your section or the whole bar, own it. A warm smile, quick refills, a killer recommendation. We give people a reason to come back and tell their friends. make champagne easy and fun. Not everyone speaks grower champagne, which there's
Haley: (39:37.813)
Love.
Jordin: (39:43.988)
So much you can learn about champagne, which I want to bring a lot of that into 2026, like just kind of the educational component. Yeah. and but it's okay if people don't know about it. We help people learn if they want to, have fun and feel included. We make bubbles approachable. Wonderful. work should feel good. We want to love our shifts, even when it's slammed. We hype each other up, cover each other's backs, and try to make every day enjoyable and above all, respect each other.
Haley: (39:50.252)
Love that.
Haley: (40:09.354)
Amazing.
Jordin: (40:09.958)
we make blanc moments. We're not just a bar, we're an experience. Rooftop igloos, silent discos, bougie bub bougie brunches. Let's keep creating those. You had to be their memories. and then try new shit. New cocktail idea, fresh playlist, better flow behind the bar. We're always evolving. Speak up, experiment, make help make blanc even.
Haley: (40:32.632)
I love this. my gosh. And like I I literally wanna like sh we we'll have to talk after this because I wanna like share these and yeah talk more about it. That's amazing. So do you feel like so these are kind of new you said, but do you think your employees will be able to like remember the gist of each one of them? Yeah.
Jordin: (40:47.622)
I think it feels like something they do every day anyway. But it's like elevating it and kind of grounding it in a why. Like, why are we doing those things? Like it's, you know, restaurants are restaurants. You kind of do the same thing over and over, but it's like the things that separate restaurants. I feel like those are the things that I tried to kind of pull out. Yeah. Because what did I I saw some Instagram reel that was like restaurants are like, what do they call what do you call it? Like Red Ocean, a red ocean industry.
I don't know what red ocean means, but it means like there's just it's super saturated. Right. So like customers have so many choices. And I think that's the biggest thing in restaurants is like how are you differentiating yourself? Yeah. To get customers to return. Exactly. you can have good food and great cocktails, but I think those extra little things go above and beyond. Right.
Haley: (41:21.55)
right.
Haley: (41:38.566)
Like what makes them last too. Like this restaurants close all the time, and that'll not happen with Blanc. It's not. Yeah. But like when I remember, like, I mean, there's a certain restaurant that was my favorite here in Kansas City. I'll say Port Fonda. And yeah, it was yes. Like very, very sad. But there was a article in the pitch that talked about how sadly the owner had a lot of racist and misogynistic thoughts and would say those and would I think there was sexual harassment.
Jordin: (41:53.336)
That was poorly, poorly managed.
Haley: (42:08.066)
There was a lot of terrible things. And so when that came out, I think it went under new ownership, it just didn't have like maybe the same vibe or the passion of the owner. I mean, like he was a bad guy, but yeah, like there was a lot of passion, I guess. Yeah. and the food was amazing. The experiences were amazing. And but that that does not mean that the restaurant's gonna last because of the ownership or like, I don't know, even like clearly he's not living out good values. Yeah. So that's going to make you guys at Blanc stand out and like.
Make it a place that will last. Right. And like of course somebody like me is gonna like, I wanna go there and support them. You know? I love
Jordin: (42:41.1)
that I think maybe yeah I don't know if there would be a cool way to like show those values in an external way but like it is very
Haley: (42:49.12)
I think so. You can put on your website, yeah. Social media. I mean, you're a marketer, you know how to do this. Yeah, yeah for sure.
Jordin: (42:54.814)
I because they do feel different enough, but they also feel relatable, I think, to anybody. Yeah. Right. Like and I like the idea, like, and I think that's why I feel like as hard as it is, and as many times as I've wanted to quit and just be like, I don't want to do this anymore. I go back to those things, but I also go back to like I think my career trajectory has set me up for success in this space.
I definitely came into it with like rose colored glasses, like coming from Hallmark, which is very like I would have retired from Hallmark had it not been all of the things that I went through. but I think Hallmark gave me a perspective to come into the restaurant industry and really like there's a lot of toxicity in restaurants and you know, it's just a different culture. And coming from corporate, I definitely had like rose colored glasses on and I'm not like
I'm gonna be the antithesis of like this toxic restaurant culture. And I'm gonna, you know, lead by example and be a leader that like follows through with what they say and doesn't do bad business practices. And I feel like I have done that, but there are certain things in restaurants that just are innate to restaurants. Like my cooks, I hear the word penis way too often. And I'm like, why are we? But it's okay, it's fine. There's no HR, I'm not HR.
I'm looking, you know, it just like, you know, some of the dialogue and like all of those things that like just but as long as it's a positive environment, nobody's crossing any boundaries, there's not that like, you know, you right. Yeah, we don't want to see your penis, but you know, you can say a penis joke, it's fine.
Haley: (44:24.086)
Yeah.
Haley: (44:36.44)
Keeping it put away. Yeah.
Haley: (44:42.862)
With the consent of the audience, maybe.
Jordin: (44:45.866)
Absolutely. Yes. There all are those boundaries. And I think we being a female owner that I'm, you know, all of the things that come with some of the softness of a female owner. Yeah. The empathy and those things, like people feel super comfortable coming to me with things. And I think people who have been in the restaurant, you don't get that a lot. And so I try to kind of find that balance between, you know, being really professional coming from a corporate world and incorporating some of that. And again, there's certain things you can't get away. Right. That
You can't get away from in the restaurant industry, but I think I've done I'm proud of the culture that I have created that feels less toxic than I think a lot of restaurants are. so yeah, it's been good, but also there's a lot of work to do. a lot of you know, a lot of work to do. And what does Blanc Touino look like? Yeah, yeah. We had our first birthday in October of 2025. Yeah.
Haley: (45:27.158)
It's amazing.
Haley: (45:37.262)
Well, you're only in year two, right?
Jordin: (45:44.448)
A year and a couple of months.
Haley: (45:45.996)
Uh-huh. Yeah. It's amazing. Yeah. And you've had a lot of challenges this winter with the igloos flying off the roof, right?
Jordin: (45:53.24)
You'll have to do like an overlay of like that. yeah.
Haley: (45:55.822)
Exactly. Yeah, 'cause that was sad to watch.
Jordin: (45:59.602)
and that was like that really like took a toll on my like mental health. Like and I've always been and you same same too. Like I've always been really, really good at what I've done in my life. And so coming up against challenges consistently is so disheartening. And like it's so easy to be like, I want to give up. But I think one thing and you and I probably of like, no, I'm gonna figure this shit out. Right. Like as we all you always do. Right. You always figure it out. And it's
gonna be really, really hard, but we're resourceful enough and you're like, Okay, I survived yesterday, I can survive today. Yes. But yeah, those fucking igloos flying off the roof
Haley: (46:36.61)
Totally it out.
Haley: (46:40.652)
And that's something what it like what would the metaphor be, I guess, in my business? What is my igloo flying off the roof, you know?
Jordin: (46:46.062)
You had one. Yeah, you had an igloo flying off the roof. It felt like it was like one hit after the other. And it yeah. And I was so excited about it. And it is the restaurant industry, same with you. It's just like whack-a-mole. You wake up and you're like, what problem do I have to figure out? What do I what fire do I have to put out? And when I wake up and I see an igloo on the ground, eleven I have eleven. So I have the the eleventh floor rooftop.
Haley: (46:49.496)
Yeah, I'm sure.
Haley: (47:07.116)
Exactly.
Jordin: (47:15.338)
open air and I had these igloos that are basically like bubbles and the wind just goes up under them, takes them off the roof. So they've we've we've recovered. Yes. Yeah. We've had guests love them and they're great. But like those are the things I'm learning. Like okay, tried it, didn't like it, not gonna do it again.
Haley: (47:25.941)
Found solutions for it.
Haley: (47:35.79)
really? I don't know, maybe
Jordin: (47:38.444)
But it's just yeah, a lot of trial and error, especially in the first year. Yeah. Never owning a restaurant. It's just like, and yeah, I mean, I think like to anybody listening, of like the advice, it's it can look really good from the outside and it can be soul crushing from the inside. Yeah. But I think going back to the why and you know, knowing what you have on the line.
kind of continues to push you forward. Like you're gonna have those setbacks. And I think d finding peace to separate yourself from those setbacks so you can kind of reground yourself to then be able to be like, okay, now I can go back into this with a more of a level head.
Haley: (48:20.576)
Right. So yeah. Well, and like the thing is like we don't get PTO in owning our own businesses. And I mean, I remember like leaving my last job where we used to work together and people would say, and if it doesn't work out in the first year, you can just come back here. And I was like, over my dead body would I come back to this place. Yeah. But also like I I I don't even have the mindset of if it doesn't work out because that's I I do not accept that mindset. Yeah.
And it doesn't mean that every year is great. It doesn't mean that like the economy is always good for my business or whatever, but or
Jordin: (48:50.574)
Working out can look completely different than what you thought it
Haley: (48:53.816)
May have to sacrifice some stuff and like put time into other things or diversify. Like I've had to diversify my business to figure out what what am I gonna do to make up for lost revenue in other areas or whatever because of the economy or the tariffs and things like that. Yep. So I kind of want to close this with asking who have been some of like the most inspirational leaders that you've had, either bosses you've had or people even in like in the media. Yeah. You know, like I think of like I read one of Barack Obama's books, the
Promised Land. You should read it. Have you read it? Or listen to it.
Jordin: (49:25.866)
I know, but I read his original book he put out right after his presidency. But that was more about like his presidency.
Haley: (49:33.526)
no, that was it. Yeah. was it? Yeah. I think I got the first term. Okay. And yeah. And I remember listening to it and just like clutching my heart. Like and I was doing this at the gym and my trainer would come up and be Are you okay? And I was like, yeah, I'm just really moved. Like I'm not having like a heart palpitation thing. It's just like, I just deeply feel this moment. Like I so like when I think of like amazing leaders, he's one I think of like 100%. The stories he would give. So anyway, I would I'd love who is there somebody that like you've literally worked for or other people you've just been really inspired by. Yeah.
Jordin: (50:01.974)
That's great question. so I think my bosses at Hallmark, I think were huge lifting me up to even think that I could possibly do something like this, right? a hundred percent. I mean, even going through my divorce, going from California back to Kansas City, like they gave me as much time off as I needed. Because like when something like that happens and even with like loss or grief or death.
Haley: (50:08.557)
Yeah.
Haley: (50:14.808)
They're supportive of it.
Jordin: (50:31.914)
Or like the world continues to spin and your world just stops. Yeah. And you like look around and you're like, How are people still living? totally. Like it's jarring. Yeah. And then but you're like, I'm an adult, so I have to keep dick going. Like I can't stop. But like also I am not a version of myself. But you gotta push through. And that's kind of why I got into this like hyper vigilant mode of like do something very aggressive so that you can get out of this funk.
But yeah, my Hallmark leaders were just like amazing. They were literally, if I could define myself as a leader, like there are so many components of them that I took, just like empathy and caring and giving grace and leading with just so much understanding and giving really good feedback that was glowing, but with really good actionable ways to improve. Yeah. And so I've
with my staff, like it's always leading with like, what are you doing good? You know, what are your strengths? And then here, you know, soft ways to be better. Like I want to know what I can do better. Because telling me I'm perfect and I'm my job is a lie. Like there's always something you can improve on. Yeah. so yeah, little bits of my homework leaders really made me feel like A made me feel confident that I could do it. Yeah. And then B learning kind of the
taking some of their leadership style into the way that I operate. I would say I love Mel Robbins. okay. Do you like Mel Robbins?
Haley: (52:01.315)
Yeah.
Haley: (52:08.972)
I have not had a ton of exposure to her, but I'm I'm I don't know, maybe on the fence still.
Jordin: (52:14.818)
Yeah. Yeah. She's a little sensational, I feel like. Like and like and she's in a very different place. It's I find I relate to people that feel more relatable. And once people get to a certain level, they become a little less relatable and you're like, Okay, you're right. You're a millionaire. Like what are you telling me that I can and and I feel like she does a good job of like relating to her audience and like not
Haley: (52:26.839)
Yeah.
Haley: (52:35.15)
Super millionaire.
Jordin: (52:43.618)
being out of touch a little bit. So that's why I like her. I like Jay Shetty a lot. Okay. Do you like Jay Shetty?
Haley: (52:50.318)
See I can know all these like problematic things about these people that I hear on TikTok
Jordin: (52:55.086)
Try to separate those things. like I when I listen to his podcast, I'm like he gives really, really sound advice and he's good very soft in his approach.
Haley: (53:05.078)
If he seemed that way, I think I watched him on the Meghan Markle with Love Megan thing on Netflix. yeah. And he see, I'm you're not a Megan Markle. Well, I mean, I can understand why people think she's somewhat annoying. Wow, we are getting some hot takes at the end of this episode. but I
Jordin: (53:12.994)
No.
Jordin: (53:20.162)
get Meg I get I so many people tell me I look like Megan Markle.
Haley: (53:24.514)
Well, is that one of those things where it's just like they're like, you both have darker skin
Jordin: (53:29.054)
You're mixed and you have long brown hair. Because I I took a picture against her wax figure in New York and I actually there were and the wax figures are not good representations of what these people Yeah, correct. But she yeah, I stood next to her and I was like, I could see some similarities. Yeah, but mixed girl with brown hair. That's hilarious. No, I don't no
Haley: (53:31.822)
Sort of see it, but I think
Haley: (53:41.87)
I mean sometimes I'm like, I can't tell which one's the real
Haley: (53:47.928)
I see some similarities long hair, right?
Haley: (53:58.496)
that's funny. No, I I'm definitely on Megan and Harry's side, I guess. because I am not one of those people who like just I don't know, submits to and I mean respect and with human dignity, yes, but not respects a tyrannical organization, I feel like. I feel like the royal family, what did you didn't earn this? Yes, correct. Like when people are like, but they've been placed by God. It's like, I guess I don't have that mindset about it. I think who gave you this authority?
Jordin: (54:16.528)
for sure. I
Haley: (54:28.014)
Authority born into it. Yeah. It's yeah. So I and I think that like I I mean, I completely believe her stories about how they were like planting terrible a hundred percent stories. So so yeah, ethically I'm definitely on their side.
Jordin: (54:28.671)
You were literally just boring.
Jordin: (54:41.71)
And I believe she went through
Haley: (54:43.928)
suicidal ideation. Yeah. And they didn't care. Like the royal family
Jordin: (54:45.966)
into that and then having to yeah, always feel like the black sheep literally in this family. Yeah, I believe I mean they and for him to support that decision for them to get out. Yeah. But then the weird what I find weird is they were like, we don't want to be in the media media and now all of a sudden she's like, I'll do this and I'll do a voiceover and I'll do this. And but if that's she's acts acting as her action
Haley: (54:53.816)
Yeah.
Haley: (55:11.148)
Right. Yeah. I think she yeah, I think that it's just it's it's with her consent in certain areas. And I think that she didn't maybe realize marrying into this family, you lose a lot of autonomy. Yeah. And I think Kate was fine with it. She's also British, so grew up with that. Right, right. More like in her perspective. Yeah. And I didn't, and I don't. And like, you know, I know people who are Angliphiles, like we used to work with Brian. Shout out to Brian. Right. Love him. But he loves the royal family and he says, God save the king. And I'm like, God bless America. God saved the king.
Yeah, like literally he's he's really into the royal family. He's not on Megan's side at all. And same with my brother. Like he's he's very much like I mean, he on Christmas, I guess, like the queen and then now the king, like make a a statement or something. And he's like, Did you watch it? I like, I no. Not interested. I wouldn't even watch it if it was like a US president. I don't think I care. I guess maybe I'd watch it because I do love some like good politicians. But yeah, it's no.
Jordin: (56:01.342)
Right.
Jordin: (56:06.69)
Yeah, no, that's not something that like feels relevant at all to my life.
Haley: (56:09.186)
At all. I'm not like closed off to it, but no, I didn't like tune in. Yes.
Jordin: (56:14.184)
Yeah, you know, yeah, it's a weird the dynamic is weird and yeah, I think I lost some respect with that whole thing. Right. And I'm glad they did what they did, but I feel like her rebrand feels inauthentic.
Haley: (56:22.071)
Yeah.
Well, especially hanging out with like Jeff Bezos. Didn't they go to the Bezos wedding or they or somebody's like how Christmas party? I it's like, wait, where are you drawing the line with ethics? Yes. yeah. And I think people all define them differently. But for me, it's like what I don't want to associate business wise, I guess, with you know harmful practices. Correct. Like if people I mean, I wouldn't if this was the seventeen or eighteen hundreds, I wouldn't work with like a enslavement camp, you know.
Well, I mean like but some people like they're like, well that's a business. We're selling human beings. Like no, I wouldn't I don't want to associate that. Correct. I don't want to associate with a business that, I don't know, is like drilling in beautiful land in Alaska or something. You know, that kind of thing.
Jordin: (57:07.83)
I think that the that's the confusing part about her. Like, who do you associate with and what does that actually mean? Because I think a lot of I mean, this goes back to my ex husband, like he had some really shrewd business practices that like I don't even know if I fully knew what he was into. And we started making money really, really fast. And I was like, this meal shady. And
Haley: (57:17.314)
Totally.
Haley: (57:32.874)
Yeah. And he didn't loop you in. No, no. That's probably good. Ignorance is bliss. Yeah.
Jordin: (57:37.87)
It was like how are you making this money?
Haley: (57:52.362)
And certain people are very easily manipulated. Yeah.
Jordin: (57:55.182)
Correct. So separating myself from that is yes, I pride myself on good business practices and it sucks because some people get to the top by stepping on other people. Yeah. And success, you know, once you start to get a little money and you know, it it's easy to get manipulated and pulled over to that other side. I will never operate. That's right. I want to be a good business owner. I don't want to burn bridges and I wanna have relationships with people that are
grounded in shared morals and values. I love that. And I don't think that's, you know, right. That's not everyone.
Haley: (58:29.43)
Sha.
Haley: (58:33.43)
No, that it's not everyone because honestly to some people like just making money is more important. Right. And I mean, I can't always disagree with that because like everybody wants stability and like security. Yeah. but how do we have stability, security as great leaders and business owners? Yes. Like it how do we have that in a really ethical way?
Jordin: (58:38.081)
Jordin: (58:53.058)
And I think there's a way to do it. yeah. And it's talking about it, right? Yeah.
Haley: (58:57.011)
So yeah, it might mean might mean that you wouldn't have tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, but you don't need that also.
Jordin: (59:03.866)
Because why? Do you need that? Give it to someone else. Yeah, I wouldn't want to be a billionaire. I mean, yes, I would. I lie, I want to be a billionaire.
Haley: (59:06.632)
Literally.
Haley: (59:11.064)
But then you could invest in wonderful, amazing, like worldwide projects. I
Jordin: (59:13.836)
Yeah. Like people like us, like those are the people that should get rich because what are we gonna do with that money? Like I don't need that money. Like make sure my family's taken care of, but not one person needs that much money. So where is it going right to be able to improve the lives of others or the community or and that's why I love owning a business in Kansas City. Yeah. So my goal is to yeah, I don't know what's next for Blanc. I don't know what's next for me, but support Blanc.
Come out and see me.
Haley: (59:44.484)
Yeah. And so for people who don't drink alcohol, you have mocktails.
Jordin: (59:47.96)
Mocktails, yeah, really good mocktails. We have some sparkling wines that are like that are NA. that's a bit like yeah, and they're actually like wine, they're made in the tradition traditional method of making wine, but then the process of like heat infusion pulls out the alcohol. So it's like you're it's not just like grape juice. Cool. Yeah. So we have some really cool. I'm interested in I've been talking about like getting some like THC infused cocktails, which I think is fun.
Haley: (01:00:06.52)
So
Haley: (01:00:15.468)
Legal in mode.
Jordin: (01:00:16.558)
But also I don't know what that means for like serving THC cannabis drinks with in an establishment that also provides alcohol. Yeah it's
Haley: (01:00:20.876)
Yeah, I mean.
Haley: (01:00:26.652)
yeah. just a different license. I'm sure a listener might have some access to information.
Jordin: (01:00:31.606)
Yeah, anybody knows how to get some yeah, or I'm interested in trying other because I know there are businesses popping up local businesses that are doing THC infused drink. So yeah, a collab. I'm open to all sorts of collabs. I love collabing cat collaborating with women businesses. We've done some like networking events. We did a butterfly brunch last year where we had like a panel of we had Dulce from Cafe Corazone. I'm obsessed with her.
Haley: (01:00:41.952)
yes, it'll collab.
Jordin: (01:01:00.802)
So yeah, I love creating a space where women can come together and feel empowered. So if anybody wants to connect and just have a place where we can uplift each other, amazing love a space for that. So
Haley: (01:01:12.61)
So how can people find you on social media or how can they reach out to you?
Jordin: (01:01:15.896)
okay, so Blanc Champagne Bar is our official Instagram. But if you want to reach out to me personally, it's Jordin Johnson. Mm-hmm. That's horrible. I don't know my own Instagram. Bad. My actual Instagram handle. Jordin underscore Johnson for. But yeah, I I run my social media. So if they DM me on Blanc Champagne Bar's Instagram, you can find me there. Perfect. And yeah, Instagram is kind of my main space, but
trying to get more into TikTok because that's a thing. Well has it all because I I know. Yeah. Yeah. TikTok is the place to be for sure. Yeah. but I think we should do some more collabs.
Haley: (01:01:49.154)
Yeah.
Yeah.
I agree. Maybe some events. Yeah. I think with panels or maybe I could record. I do. If I can figure out how to get mics in your space.
Jordin: (01:02:02.754)
Yeah.
Jordin: (01:02:06.496)
Yeah, it'd be a pretty face pretty space store for it. We have good like sound barriers. I don't know.
Haley: (01:02:10.824)
Nice. I'm sure. Yeah. We'll figure it out. We'll figure it out. Yes. All right, Jordin. Thank you so much for being on this podcast, episode number two for the two of us. I love you. I will.
Jordin: (01:02:22.146)
Also, I'm so excited for what you have going on. I think you're the perfect host. thanks. You're so empathetic. Like Haley is she's such a woman of many talents. Like she's she's amazing. Follow her in everything she's doing. thank you. she is so intelligent, and I could spend all my days talking to her because she's the best. We love to, yeah.
Haley: (01:02:45.964)
Well also we both are just big yappers. We are. Yeah. And we're Scorpios! Yeah. That's right. All
Jordin:
Thanks for having me.
