87 Year Old Gives Us All Her Life Advice for Every Decade (What to Do & What NOT To Do)

I went to a fortune teller one time and she said, "I see you working till the day you died." We went back and literally started the business the very next day. Now we have almost 3,000 employees. >> If you had known how big it was going to get at the beginning, do you think you would have been terrified? >> I said, "Let's come up with a clever name." Well hung. You sell yourself first, your company second, your product third. >> You lived like a full life before you even started this brand. Yes, I certainly did. Hello from New York City, y'all. I have had the best week. I'm in a very I'm actually about to leave for the airport to head home to Texas. I'm Sandy from Spongebob, but I have just had the craziest week and I'm just so grateful. Like, I'm getting like very emotional non-stop because I feel like, and this is like as che, you know, I'm cheesy and I'm corny, so like why am I even apologizing at this point? I have just had a very surreal week with so many things that we've been able to do. We've been we've shot two campaigns for a friend of mine. One's massive. One's a really great exciting collab. We have which you guys actually know about at this point, our Brook Mitchio collection. Um we shot something else that's like our biggest launch yet that I'm so excited about. We ended our summer stitch tour which is amazing. We had thousands of girls show up this summer to our summer stitch tour for my home and hobby brand friend of mine um with all of our needle point canvases and they were lining up at 5 in the morning. It was just so crazy. So, we wrapped that up. I got to record some really exciting podcast episodes. I got to spend some time with some friends like the Gilmore Estay girls who I just love and adore. I had some very exciting meetings and dinners and just like I don't know, even just being in rooms and I'm like, how the hell did I end up here? And friend of mine, we're turning three this week actually that you guys are listening. I always am like, was our birthday the September 5th or September 8th? I'm not really quite sure. Um, I think it's the eighth. I think we're going with the eth is like what it's at. And that's just like what it is in my brain. Whatever. September, we turned three years old and a friend of mine this year has just grown massively. And I'm just so grateful. I feel like I was in especially a couple I mean you guys now a couple years ago when I was just in such a dark space. I my earlier 20s were just not the best in general. I've dealt with so much grief and loss. I've lost two siblings in my 20s. Like it's just been a really rough ride. And of course, there's been so many also great, beautiful things that have happened in life. Like, I've fallen in love. I've gotten engaged. I've, you know, gotten even closer with my family. Like, of course, there's always positives, but it was just a it's been a tough goaround. And that's not to say that like, you know, grief and loss goes away or any of those things, but it's just I'm just really grateful for like where I'm at and what I'm able to do. And I think even in today's episode, which we'll get to, icon, legend, you guys are going to die when we talk about this, but I think just one of the things it sounds weird to say that I'm like grateful for that's come out of loss is that you do have this like extreme clarity on what matters and what doesn't. And I find myself even losing that sometimes. But I just I don't know. I think seeing I'm really proud, but I'm also just like so grateful for everything. And like friend of mine, we just got offices. is like there's so many like good things happening and more than anything summer is ending soon. Thank god. You guys know I'm not a summer girl. I love summer if I'm in Nucket again. You guys know I would love summer more if I was in a different tax bracket. Anyway, moving on. Um also guys, the Nucket episodes kind of was obsessed with those. Like those are kind of everything. Um yeah, it's just been amazing. I'm really grateful. So we're starting off this Thursday everyone with a moment of gratitude. All right, everyone breathe in like breathe out. We're meditating, if you will. I know you probably never thought you would hear that from me. And I want everyone, if you're watching on YouTube, I want or you're you're seeing this on Instagram, you're commenting, whatever. I need three things that you're grateful for down below because it really will change some things. And Barbara's really going to she's going to whip us into shape today. Okay, if you guys are watching on YouTube and you see my phone behind my cards, okay, sue me. So what? I have my flash cards. I did in fact unfortunately forget to um print out the intro but I have the other stuff because I am prepared. Okay. And I love this show. Um we also have I mean we just have such good episodes and everything coming up. This guys when I got this email Barbara is the founder the co-founder of Vera Bradley. It was named after her mother Vera Bradley. I grew up in the age of I mean Vera Bradley just transcends generations and generations. It's been around for 40 plus years. It's a it's a public company. I mean, just oh my gosh, this woman has done so much and she's so funny and she's 87. And you guys know how I feel about a guest over the age of 75. All right. And what's even better with about this is that she you guys know I love like I mean maybe you don't know, maybe you're new here. Hello. Sorry. Rude for me to assume. I have two solo episodes where I talk about people who achieved or started something success quote later in life. My very heart which this is not later in life. if I do want to clarify it just it's because people have a lot of pressure to achieve at like 20. Okay. So, it's people who really like got an idea or started something new and changed their career or changed their life whatever like 40 on and that's really only because Martha Stewart did that at 40 and I want to keep her on that list you know but it's people who do things like I really try like 60s and 70s but you know a lot of people like to retire so anyways like later in your career in quotes but like it's not actually later if you know what I'm saying later as opposed to like what I feel the pressure can be on our generation. Anyway, she's just perfect. She's everything. She's so funny. I'm obsessed with her and I'm going to visit her in Indiana and I cannot wait. Okay, today's house guest is Barbara Bradley, the legendary co-founder of Vera Bradley. Barbara started Vera Bradley in 1982 alongside her close friend Patricia Miller after the two noticed a lack of feminine colorful luggage while traveling together. What began with a few quilted bags made around Barbara's kitchen table grew into one of America's most recognizable lifestyle brands known for its signature prints, quilted handbags, luggage, and accessories. Named after Barbara's mother, Vera Bradley grew from a small woman founded business into a nationally recognized brand with millions of devoted customers. Along the way, Barbara became known not only for her eye for color and design, but for her approach to entrepreneurship, friendship, hospitality, and building a company rooted in joy and connection. She is a philanthropist, author, mother, grandmother, and someone who has spent more than four decades proving that you can build an extraordinary business without losing the warmth and the personality and just honestly yourself that made you fall in love with this in the first place. Barbara, we are so excited to have you on House guest and y'all are going to love her. Like, this is the episode that we needed. So, let's welcome Barbara Bradley on to the show. If I could dream up my perfect podcast guest, I think it would be you. >> Oh my, >> you are just perfect. Well, first off, we've already had like a fabulous couple minutes together. >> Oh yeah, >> you look amazing. >> Thank you. >> And you have lived such an incredible life that I think I know will really resonate with my fellow house guests, my listeners. >> Okay. So, I don't know when I think about you, I think the coolest thing is that you started your massive, massive, massive hair proudly business in your 40s. And a lot of my listeners, we've talked a little bit about this off air, but a lot of my listeners in our 20s and 30s, just with social media, in the Forbes 30 under 30 list, there's so much pressure to have everything figured out by the time you're 25 to make it on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. You've got to have this multi-million dollar business. And it's just kind of crazy because you haven't even lived enough life. I mean that's I am like currently working towards a lot of these things. But can you speak to you lived like a full life before you even started this brand. >> Yes, I certainly did. >> So um I I got married right out of college and had four children within five years. >> Wow. >> And we moved every two years. my my husband's business took him to different places. So, you know, they give you a perfect example. My first two daughters are a year apart to the day. They have the same birthday. One was born in Columbus, Ohio and one in Washington DC. >> Wow. >> And then I had one in Michigan. I mean, we lived a very busy life and I was very fulfilled. I mean, I really I loved being a mom and I made all their clothes. We had very little I I won't say we were poor, but we certainly didn't have a lot of money to go out and buy my children fancy clothes and all that stuff. Um so I sewed and enjoyed that. And then we ended up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We were living in um Chicago area and my husband came home one night and said, "I bought a company in Fort Wayne, Indiana." And I'm like, "Oh my god, where is Fort Wayne, Indiana?" You know, and then we moved to Fort Wayne and I didn't know anyone there. But it was um probably one of the best things that ever happened to me. I don't know that there'd be a Ver Bradley if we had um you know, even stayed in Chicago. So, >> what was it about that move that kind of led to Ver Bradley? Well, I I just think that it was a it to me it was I was raised in Miami Beach, Florida. So, it was a total contrast and let's say I was bored too, but I had another business before I started very broadly. I was a wallpaper hanger >> because with all our moves, >> I'm not an artist. I can't draw a stick person literally. Um, but you could walk into a blank canvas room, so to speak, and put up wallpaper. And I like color. And again, I think that's my Miami background. You know, we grew up with um Laura Ashley, Lily Pulitzer, um, all the colorful. And then I end up in Fort Wayne, not a colorful city. Um, so anyway, when I was in Chicago, a a college friend of mine and I started hanging wallpaper and we called ourselves the paper dolls. And this is creep. My grandma I don't Maybe she knew about you. I My grandma had a business with her sister where she would hang wallpaper and they wore overalls and they called themselves the paper dolls. >> Get out. >> Maybe she knew about your brand or something. >> How crazy is that? >> How old is your grandmother? >> Um, she is 79. We'll see. She might have because she's a lot younger than >> I know. Maybe they copied you. I I don't think she would have even have known to figure that thing out back in the day. >> Is she still alive? >> Yeah, we're really close. >> I got to meet her. >> Yeah, you have to. She's the one who's the redhead and Maren Delane who's very Yes, you got to. >> Okay. So, we called ourselves a paper doll. And we >> The children were young then and I could get them off to school, go out and make Well, back in those days, you might make $50. I mean, that was huge today. >> And now, I mean, >> oh yeah, >> tens of thousands. >> Oh my god. So, anyway, then I moved to Fort Wayne. So, I was papering. We bought a house in Fort Wayne and I was hanging wallpaper. Knock on the door. Pat Miller, who ended up being my business partner, introduces herself. She was welcoming me to Fort Wayne. And I I have a wallpaper brush in my hand. And she said, "What are you doing?" And I said, "Well, I'm hanging wallpaper. Come on in." She said, "Oh, I've always wanted to know how to do that." So anyway, we became friends, partners, business partners. So I thought, well, we could do that here. But I thought we were a little old to be the paper dolls then. So I said, "Let's come up with a clever name." I had a really clever name. >> Yeah. >> Well, NO. AND you didn't use that one. >> We didn't use that one. >> I can't imagine why. >> I don't know. I thought maybe. So, we compromised and named it up your wall, which was cute, too. >> And we didn't do the whole pink thing, but we hung wallpaper. And we hung in all the offices in Fort Wayne, the homes, and loved it. And Pat got to be a good paper hanger, too. I still paper hang, you know, with my grandchildren and all that. We did that and then there was another little business we got into which was closed. There were not any stores in Fort Wayne. My girls were in high school when then by by the time let me see. No, when we moved to Fort Wayne, my girl my kids were 12 and under. >> And then when they got into high school and they started caring about what they wore and all, there wasn't much. So we got into a little clothing business where we brought clothes into our home and sold them to people. So that was another little little business. So then my the kids go off to college and they're all a year apart. So it was pretty much empty dust or you know. >> So the girls were um in college and Okay. So let me go back to Pat Miller. >> Okay. So, we went to Florida to visit my parents who still lived in Florida to play a little tennis and all. And when we came back, we were in the Atlanta airport. And I said, "Isn't it interesting? There's no color. These people are going to on vacations and we're in Atlanta and everyone was carrying black and white luggage or canvas or something." And so that was the first little moment that and I said, you know, why isn't there anything like Lily Pulitzer and stuff like that, but that price range, we weren't in that price range. Lily Pulitzer was very expensive. >> Yes. >> And um Marameco, that's all beyond our capabilities of affording that. So, we went back and literally started the business the very next day. Went to Joan Fabric, bought some fabric, went down to my basement on the ping bong table, cut out the a duffel bag and a garment bag and a smaller bag, a carry-all, and um made that up and sent it to my girls who were at Michigan State at the time. Well, actually, one was at Michigan State, one was at Mry Mount in Terrytown, New York. Um, and they called home and said, "Mom, everyone loves these bags, you know." So, we've made a few more. >> So, then I realized I shouldn't be in the basement sewing. I should be out marketing. So, we put an ad in the paper and we got home seers and we cut out all the fabric and then give it to the seers and they would go home, sew it, bring it back. We'd inspect it and now we have almost 3,000 employees. So, it's crazy. >> It was a a a dream that we never ever dreamed would be this big. If you had known how big it was going to get at the beginning, do you think you would have been terrified? >> Well, I'll tell you. I think my strength is knowing what I don't know. >> I didn't have a business degree. I didn't have a marketing degree. I didn't I mean, I was a homeck minor and a sociology major. And I would have thought I can't do this because I don't know enough, you know. But my strength is getting the people that know more than I would. Even having attained a degree like that, get the best marketing person you can find. get the best um the designers, you know, like I said, I can't draw anything, but getting the right people in and then backing off and letting them I I call myself the good tweaker. That's my my role should be chief tweaker because I can look at something that's like a god-given talent course >> that by the way I got from my mother Vera Bradley thus the name because she had great taste and just we grew up >> with beautiful you know our homes were beautiful and everything she never used an interior design or anything she just had that talent I think I learned I know I learned that from her So, I could look at something and say a design and you might say, "Oh, I love that design, but that butterfly is too big or that pink is too strong or something or it needs new, it needs more navy in it." >> So, I would critique it in that regard, but I wasn't drawing the patterns. >> I love day. I actually just used the day slickback wand on my slickback this morning. I've been getting ready at the gym every morning to go to the office. That's right. We got an officer friend of mine. Anyway, and I just love day. My niece has gotten really into doing her hair. She started middle school and she was saying she's also using the day like fruit, the cactus fruit 3in-1 styling cream. She's been doing a ton of stuff. She facetimes me. She shows me what she's doing with her hair and we're both day girls. Okay, so if you guys don't know about the day cactus fruit 3in-1 styling cream, it's really incredible. It's actually gone viral for Slickbox, but there are so many ways to use it. You can use it as a blow-dry cream. You can use it to define your waves or your curls with an air dry or just to add shine. So, you get so much for the price of literally one product. That's what I like the most about it, especially for travel. It doesn't really just have one job. It's one of those products that just becomes a staple because you can use it so many different ways. And talk about bang for your buck, you know? There's even a version sold in one of the onthe-go packaging with a built-in taming wand. Perfect for taming flyaways, smoothing frizz, and styling edges. Honestly, it's kind of just an overachiever. If it was winning some award in like a yearbook superlative, it would be the Day Styling Cream. Definitely most likely to do the most. Y'all can visit sephora.com or your local Sephora store to shop days cactus fruit 3in-1 styling cream. It's really, really incredible. It also smells amazing. Everything day touches turns to gold. It's so good. I know weight loss can be a really touchy subject and if you've tried to like basically everything to lose weight and you still feel really stuck, you deserve to feel good in your body, whatever that means for you. 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If you are ready to reach your goals, visit forhers.com/houseguest to get personalized affordable care that gets you. That's for fo hers.com/houseg forhers.com/housegass. Weight loss by hers is not available in all 50 states. Wiggoi is the registered trademark of noordisk. To get started and learn more, including important safety information, WGO clinical study information and restrictions, visit hers.com. I feel very connected to you because my grandma, a lot of my eye comes from my mom who is an interior decorator. Okay. >> And then my grandma and my mom growing up had a bedding and drapery company and my grandma's a seamstress. So I grew up in the shops like making all this stuff. We of course had I remember when I was in middle school >> and the Ver Bradley like the wristlets with the phone that was the time when those >> I mean you couldn't even show up to school without one of those things. It was everything. But even now I have a home and hobby brand and we do a lot of needle point. We do a lot of things around hobby so women can you know build their own independence in life and I think you can build a lot of confidence through having a hobby and just a life to your like something that you want to do for yourself. >> Um >> well and you were enjoying what you were doing and I think that's a big secret too. Yes. >> Because when we were hanging wallpaper I loved it. I still love to hang wallpaper and then when we were making the bags I loved it. I'd go to Jo-Ann Fabric, which was a local fabric deal, buy the fabric, >> come home and make the bags. And then I got to the point where we're paying retail for the fabric and I thought, well, we should be able to buy this in quantities. So, it was kind of funny. I looked on the salvage and it said VIP fabrics. Well, I was coming to visit my daughter in New York who was at college and I thought, well, I'll just stop in VIP and see if I can buy some fabric. >> So, I go in and I said, could I see someone in sales and who are you with? And I said, Vera Bradley. Well, they mistook me. They thought it was Vera. There was a large company called Vera. So, I somehow end up in the office of the vice president of sales for VIP fabric. >> It's amazing. >> And we're talking and getting to know each other a little bit. And then he said, "Okay, well, so what do you want?" I said, "Well, we want to buy fabric wholesale." "Well, how many yards? What are you talking?" I said, "I don't know, maybe 50, 100, 200 yards." said, he said, "Uh, do you realize our minimum is 5,000 yards?" And I'm like, "Oh, no. 5,000 yard." I said, "No." He said, "How did you get in here?" I said, "Well, I came in through that door." So, anyway, we were friends till the day that man died. I mean, I he and his wife, I've visited them on the vineyard. We We just He was so taken aback. We just got along. and by your confidence. You just walked through the door. That's what I get out of that story. I've heard you say that before and I think it's such a funny good story. But I think more than anything, it shows that you just >> had the confidence. Like where do you think that confidence came from? Or were you faking it till you made it? >> No, no, no, no. It was just me. It was just like, >> you know, I'm going to do it. >> Yeah. What? And I had no idea. I thought we could buy 10 yards. I didn't know what the minimums were. Um, interestingly enough, we became we ended up years years later being their largest single customer and they had a sign remember Ver Bradley >> because I mean and we just became very dear friends and I think my dad used to say you sell yourself first, your company second, your product third. I think you build this on relationships and friendships and being real, you know, and I think that is really what Ver Bradley is all about. We are I love nurses and teachers. I wear Jay Crew. We're real. We're not Hermes. Not that I don't like Hermes. I'm just saying we have such a great sisterhood. One darling story. I've received so many stories. I mean like two women flight gets cancelled. They see someone in the airport. She's carrying Ver Bradley. They end up one of us. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They end up sharing a cab or something. Another one uh I remember a letter from a girl. There were five girls and one boy in the family and they never liked his girlfriend's number. And so he was bringing a new girlfriend home to meet the family and she walked in carrying a rear Bradley duffel and they say yes we will like her. You know it's just kind of like a a sign that you're not a snob necessarily but you like good things >> and quality and color >> and it just it just built its own little sisterhood actually. Oh, it really it really has. And I think it's it's a generational brand, too. It's amongst like so many decades of life. People have very Bradley wear it. You share it. It's a it's almost like really sweet in the way, too, when you think about growing up and going shopping and wanting these things. Like your mom would want it as well, your grandma would want it, which I think is so special. Like >> they said that to me, too, that it's one of the few brands where you want to carry what your grandmother carried. You know, usually it's like, "Oh my god, I don't Oh, my grandma. That looks like my grandma." >> Yeah. >> Um I received a cute compliment. It hit me just a few weeks ago. I was I forget where I was, but anyway, a young man gave me a hug. I was introduced to him and he was in his maybe 20 to 30s and he said, "Oh my god, you smell just like my grandmother." And I I wear white linen, esther white linen, and it's an old scent. and I've worn it forever. And I mean, to me, that's so neat to connect back with younger people >> because they do have these memories. And I know that's in style right now, going back from interior design to anything. >> And I think it's good. I think it's a neat thing. >> I think it's really cool cuz I on the flip side, like I my whole thing is that I just love a grandma hobby. I like to work a lot, but I also love a grandma hobby. I love needle point. I love mom. I love baking. I love sourdough. All of those things. But what I find to be so cool about, you know, the grandma hobbies, which are connecting you with different generations, what a hobby in general will connect you with different generations or a brand like Very Bradley or what I'm trying to be a friend of mine is that you're connecting all those generations. So from the younger people, which is part of why I'm so grateful to have you on, like we have so much to learn from people who are older than us and have life experience. And I think that these are just really great ways to either br like build bridge that gap, but also to start the conversation. >> Yeah. >> I loved what you said about the advice that your dad gave you where it says you sell yourself first. really. >> I'm curious cuz to me from your stories, it seems like you really just kind of knew who you were and you just went with it and you you just had the confidence. If someone's listening in, what would you say when it comes to, you know, identity or confidence or just finding yourself in maybe your 20s, 30s, 40s? Like what advice would you have for women at those life phases? You know, it's interesting because I'm one of six children, but being a redhead, your grandma will relate to this. Usually redheads have a sense of humor because you're pointed out, you know? I mean, people, they'd look at the six Bradley's and they'd say, "Where'd you come from?" And my mother, dark hair, olive skin. >> You can't be the blessed mother in the Christmas play. >> You know, I mean, red heads do stand out. There are 2% on this earth. Real real redheads, but um a lot more walking around. >> Yeah. Not the fake ones. >> No. No. >> But and being in Miami Beach where being a freckled redhead is not exactly, you know, the prom queen. Okay. So, I think I just got my confidence definitely through my family, very close to my siblings. Um, one of my brothers had cerebopal paly and he in that generation um, back in my day they used to put children like that away. There was no handicap parking or accessibility. But my parents chose to keep Jamie at home. He died when he was 17 and he never walked, talked, never said a word, um, couldn't stand, sit up or anything. And I think when you grow up in a loving family and then you have someone to look towards, you know, you have so much. I mean, if I had a pimple, I don't think that was a big deal when you're living with a brother that can't even speak, you know? I mean, you not that you're comparing everything, but it's just a constant remember a reminder of how lucky and blessed we are. if you don't think you're really that pretty or that talented. It it just I don't know because all my siblings were very different. One brother's a musician, one sister is more like a farmer, but we have one thing. We just have that common thread of they're all good people and we were left to do our own thing. My mother was not a helicopter mom. I mean with Jamie and our family it was very difficult but she played golf and entertained and had parties and stuff. So she led a normal life with this child in the family and he was the third and then she had three more after Jame. And so anyway I guess it was just a a lesson that I lived with every day. >> I lost my brother when he was 20. So that's another crazy thing that we have. But I can relate to what you're saying. You get >> this sense of >> you I think it gives you a lot of clarity about like what matters in life. And I do find that even my life before to my life now. Like >> a lot of these things >> they're just it's not like that deep, but you make it a bigger thing. Like you make it a way bigger deal. So I think a lot of the time the answer is simple. It's like this is what matters in life. You don't need to. I think with social media, it's definitely made it to where people are comparing themselves a lot more obviously cuz you're watching this and >> whatever. But with something like, you know, when you're losing when you deal with grief or loss at a young age or for you that was, >> you know, that was um anticipatory grief probably majority of your life as well. >> So that is >> it'll give you clarity and I think it will give you confidence like if you let it any any tragedy can like anything you go through in life. >> Yeah, it is. I mean, Dolly Parton is an example of just going through what she was through. And, you know, I'm I think it's really interesting. I'm sure people that watch the Dolly, any of the things that went on this week, will be better people because of watching her philanthropy and her love of her husband and all that. Yeah, she was a good role model. >> She was my idol. >> And I met her once. >> Wait, tell me everything. >> I did. Well, it was brief. I mean, we gifted at the Tony's, >> so I would be backstage during the Tony Awards. And this one particular time, she happened to be backstage. Of course, teeny tiny. I'm 5'8. She's 5 feet. Okay. But, and we just talked for a sec, but I mean, her energy, her she looked at you like >> you were the most important person in the room, and I was nobody. And she's just that kind of a person. Yeah. >> She's everything. lit up the room >> 100%. I got to go to I didn't get to meet her, but I got to go to a press conference that she did and there was only maybe 40 people in the room, so it was pretty intimate >> and it Yeah, I think she's such a she is such an amazing example of like what you should be even with >> I mean especially with the philanthropy like side of it and not seeing people out >> the more you learn about her and I will like I've been a Dolly dieard. I grew up in Texas, so I grew up in this like I'm so >> But the more you learn about her, the better she gets. And that's actually a very rare quality in people. They normally become more human. You realize that they're flawed. And like with Dolly, it's just like, "Oh my god, she's just so amazing." >> Yeah, she was amazing. And we've done a lot of that. My children say on my tombstone, they're going to put she got done. Mhm. >> Because when something happens in my life, I think, okay, what can we do to learn from this um it it just when my best friend Mary Sloan, Mary Moore made name, died of breast cancer when she was 50, we said we've got to do something. We have now given $43 million to breast cancer research because some good had to come from her loss >> of course >> and I've been very involved with cerebopal paly with um my husband died of Alzheimer's we've endowed a chair at Indiana University for that you have to have something to say okay this happened but some good will come from it and That's that's a reward in itself. Now, when my kids I have 12 grandchildren and three great grandchildren, and whenever I give them money, even when they were little kids, they had to give, okay, for their birthday. If I gave them $100 for their birthday, they had to give $10 to a charity or a cause or something. They could do whatever they wanted, their choice, but you must you could only keep 90. And what I found was when they would thank me, it was so cute, the enthusiasm. Um, they'd say, "Oh, Birdie, thank you for the $100. I bought a bike helmet, but I gave 10 to a boy in my class whose house burned down." You know, the enthusiasm for learning to give is incredible. And the reward you get and I think that learn you learn that. And I learned that from my parents. They were very phil and not philanthropic. We didn't use that word back there. Just giving very giving. Yeah. Yeah. >> I I will be taking that from you when I have children. I think that's so >> it's the cutest thing. I I mean >> it's so sweet. >> Yeah, it really is. And and they love it and they talk about it and they'll tell you and I've done it as you know when they graduate. Oh, a good example was one of my grandsons when he graduated from high school. I gave him a trip to Europe. Then my daughter said, you know, maybe it should be for two. Do it a lesser, you know, same amount of money but lesser so he can go with someone. I didn't think of that. Okay. So, he had many, many friends. He was a basketball player and all that. Had a girlfriend, all that. He chose his Spanish teacher who had never been to Spain. >> So cool. >> And they walked the I don't know what the walk is, the big that long walk that everyone is a huge thing. >> And here he decided >> to take his and they're still friends today. Chris is married and has a daughter and all that, but we've remained friends with this Spanish teacher. But I mean, it's things like that. is giving of your heart, your soul and some money too. You know, >> they always say like the world of the generous gets bigger. And I think it also kind of going back to identity and building the life that you want to live like as you are becoming a more giving person or focusing on people that are outside of yourself. >> Yeah. It makes you like obviously a better person, but it makes you again it reminds you like this is not at the end of the day like what life is about is about giving and about people and it's not so serious like you don't need to get wrapped up in all those things. So I think it's such a like selfishly in a way it's a really great exercise for just your own happiness right >> because you're not so focused. We were not meant to be so focused on ourselves 24/7 and that's you know the world that we're in. I've literally built a career off of my myself. Like it's a very like this whole space can be a very me me thing. But when you're shifting back to like how I can help people, how I can serve people, I find if I'm feeling weird, I think I'm too focused on myself. And once I start to try to get back or do something that's better or help someone, I feel so much better because I'm back to I think what we were really like designed to do, if that makes any sense, instead of being so focused on myself. >> Well, I've given many bags away. you know, someone will fuss over my bag and I'll say, "Okay." And I end up giving it. I had an interesting thing happen. Um, not too long. Well, it was within the last couple years. I was shopping. I was at Sachs in Palm Beach, Worth Avenue, and this darling, darling sales girl was helping me, bought a pair of shoes, and she said, "And by the way, I love," she didn't know Ver Bradley until she took my credit card and then it had it on. Not that they paid for the shoes, but it's your name. >> My name. Okay. So, um, she comes back and she said, "Oh my god, I can't believe it." And she said, "I love your bag in the bag you're carrying. I love that is the cutest bag ever." So, okay. So, I took the shoe bag she gave me. I dumped all my stuff in the shoe the bag and gave her the bag. I had only carried it once. So, oh, she was just thrilled. So, I walk out of the store. She follows me out of the store and I said, "Yeah." And she said, "I have to tell you something." She said, "This is such a payback." I said, "Really?" Like what? And she said, "I gave a kidney to someone a few months ago." I said, "Oh my god, we're equal." Oh, yeah. Yeah. Oh, exactly the same. Oh, yeah. We're right there. But I mean, it's a story like that that is so sweet and you know, it's just I could tell you so many stories like that that just like unbelievable. >> It's heartwarming. >> It's just fun. It's so fun. I think the hardest thing people that can't part with their money. >> Um, well, first of all, I was happy when I had no money. So, I'm not afraid. I think entrepreneurs are not afraid of trying things because it's new, but they were happy people to begin with, creative people. So, it's almost like the if this doesn't work, something else will. Plan B's. I thought >> you're not married to anything. >> No. And I've had many plan B's that worked out better than what I thought a plan A would be. >> And I It's fun. And it's almost like a game. And I think in the design world too to try it. >> It was easier. Now we're a public company and you have focus study. It was simpler when you could just say, "Well, let's try that." >> Yeah. >> Let's try one with this. You know, >> you more freedom at that point. >> Yeah. Definitely. Definitely. Yeah. But I never thought for Bradley. I mean, my goal was, first of all, I never thought about the money because we were having so much fun that I didn't even care if we were making money. It was my girlfriends and my sisters and my mother, and we just had a ball. We'd go to the gift shows, and having been a stay-at-home mom for all those years, it was like someone opened my cage, you know? I mean really literally um we just enjoyed it and it was so much fun >> to be in something for this long that has been so successful. You also have to be very resilient. I'm curious just throughout the years. Were there any times that you maybe wanted to quit or give up or had just become too much of a mess or behind the scenes or like how did you handle the tougher moments? I think going public was the biggest probably um the thing I liked the least and here I am I'm in New York right now because I'm at a board meeting is a public I better um but on the same token it got so big and my partner Pat Miller um my husband had died and Pat w has her husband was alive and they wanted to go to Arizona and she kind of wanted to exit and it had gotten too big for me to buy her share out. So, we were looking at alternatives and the best alternative was to to take the company public and um and I'm happy. I mean, it's it's fine, but I think it was more fun. I like the building of something more than the finish. I've built 14 homes in my lifetime. I built a hotel, the Bradley in Fort Wayne, which is beautiful. I'm so proud of it. >> You just keep going. It's so impressive. Well, >> she doesn't like to be bored. >> I like the building. I I feel I love building. I love that part. >> The interior design with your family. You know, when you're finished with a project, you're really looking >> for the next >> for the next project. Yeah. >> It's not like >> done. and the people that I think achieved their goal too young. Now we're involved with the Olympics. Oh, well that's another thing I've done as far as our foundation, our family foundation. I didn't want it to just be my causes. My causes are of course breast cancer, cerebopaly, and Alzheimer. Those are the ones that hit me, but I wanted other causes. So the way my foundation's set up, my children, my four children get to choose causes that are meaningful to them. >> Well, my one daughter, they're very into the Olympics. So that's great. We're donors in the Olympics and it's been fine, a blast. But I will say sometimes you achieve your goal like the gold medals there there's lots of issues they have. You win the gold medal at age 26,7 then what? My Broadway friends I've had that they get the Tony award and then what >> you get a Tony award and you have to be in that play eight times a week because people are there to see you. So sometimes achieving what you think is your goal in life or the thing you're aiming for isn't necessarily the best reward. I think someone said something that happiness is someone to love, someone who loves you, and something to wish for or achieve. Put it that way. I think that's good because once you have everything, I mean, people could look at me right now and say, I have everything and not that much time to, you know, at 87. I know I don't I mean, shoot me at 100, will you? you know, so you don't want to live forever. Okay. So, you realize the fun is in the creating it. >> Yeah. >> I hear that a lot from friends who cuz in this space I have a lot of other fellow like entrepreneur friends and maybe people who are 10 to 15 years ahead of me and they'll sell their company and you you always hear about >> how it was like the worst day of their life. >> Oh yeah. >> Because they had nothing else to do. Absolutely. >> And that is something I'm >> So they have to start down the company. >> Yeah. You got to do something else. 100%. And even I mean when you're saying that about home projects, it's like there's not even a a a home project like I already know what I'm doing before that one project is done, you know? So I'm grateful to have heard all of those stories and advice now to know like >> I think I also know that what you think is going to make you happy isn't necessarily what's going to make you happy. And like you said, you know, a lot of the time the plan B works out way better than plan A. >> I've tried to not be >> I try to because of course this is like the natural way that I would be or I guess that probably most people would be, but I tried to >> not be so married to anything or have tunnel vision. Like I want to leave room cuz I mean honestly my career has come from this wasn't the original plan. I started a YouTube channel when I was 15. I'm 29 now. This wasn't the original plan, but it has turned out a lot better than I could ever imagine. So I try to listen to people who are older than me that have advice like that and have experience more importantly because they know more >> and I think that's a very common a very very common story >> and look for new um I was a speaker at an event one time and Kristen Chennowitz was the other speaker and it was so cute her um kind of her whatever her the head of her speak whatever she called it was a fork in the road and she said my fork in the road started at birth. I was adopted. And she went on to tell stories about the forks in the road. She wanted to be a ballerina. And then it didn't work out because her proportions weren't, you know, you have to be so tall, blah blah. And then because of that, this happened. And because of this, that happened. And have she not had this one friend, she might not have gone to some audition that he was auditioning for that she And I loved it. I loved her. And I've have that same philosophy. You don't know a you know where the forks in the road will take you. And if you have one goal, again, go back to the gold medal. Your goal is to win the gold medal. That's not enough really because you focused your whole life on that one goal and then you achieve it. Then what >> do you think that almost the antithesis to that would be? This sounds so corny but like living with a why or like you have some sort of mission so at the end of the day and that can change throughout but at the end of the day it's not based on the actual achievement because that will that there's an end date for that. >> Yeah. >> Like is that something that we should be focusing on in your opinion? I just think being open to opportunities when they come along and don't be so set in your way to say I mean I can I can honestly say if I'm in a traffic jam I might think well there might have been an accident I might have been in that you know to just take the positive and to think things are good right now I mean right now I'm very lucky I'm healthy I'm active I'm I have a lot of friends. I have friends different ages. I think a lot of thing a lot of times women my age and I see that more in Palm Beach than I do New York or anywhere else. They grow old with their friends and then they go into a certain mode. You know, you have lunch at noon and then or you play mine which is fine. >> No, I would be bored. I agree with you. >> And I can't do that. >> Yeah. Um, >> they have the early 4pm dinner and then they're home. I will never I'll never retire. I will never. >> No. No. And I won't either. I went to a fortune teller one time and she said she said, "I see you working till the day you die." Now, she didn't say what day I die. I mean, you could have been the next day, but um I think she was a right that's what I want to do. >> And I just I don't know. I I like my life. And I've had sadness. You know, I had a marriage that fa my first marriage. We were married 29 years. And again, I was just getting started with Ver Bradley and loving it. Just loving it. And he wanted to retire and move to Florida and I had to make a decision there because I wasn't going to give it up. And in his opinion, okay, now you've had fun with your little bags here. Now, let's just go lead the good life. You know, they say happiness is when your kids leave home and your dog dies. That's that's not my happiness. No, no, no. >> So anyway, we did end that. He moved to Florida and he's been happy and I've been happy and then I had a wonderful second marriage that lasted 20 years and we just loved doing what we did. You know, we we were both of the same. He was still working. He Well, that was another huge example of my life. My second husband, he was the president of a board. I was the first woman on the Chicago gift board, the gift big association. And I walked in. I don't like board meetings necessarily because I get bored. I know why they call them that. and um he was the president of the board and I ended we end up getting married and he was an immigrant from Denmark. He came over when he was 27. He was 15 years my senior by the way and he had been in a concentration camp. >> Wow. >> Been in um when the Germans invaded Denmark and he was in the resistance, the Danish resistance. went through a horrendous I mean he was 6'3 when he came out of prison he weighed 125 pounds. >> Wow. >> So he was starved. He was it was horrible. But then he came to the United States started a very successful import business. >> Everything in his life was positive. I mean >> wow. >> I if he ordered a steak medium rare and it came well he ate it cuz he had started. >> Yeah. you know, anything he turned around and made it. I learned more from him than anyone in the world. >> I can only imagine >> because having what he went through and then to have the sense of humor, the Well, he was dropped dead handsome, too. That didn't >> help. Um, but it it was just a joy to have 20 years with someone who he if I think I'm very positive. He was more positive than I was. He could take any situation and turn it into a positive. >> It's one thing to have resilience and to be able to get through it. It's another to make a life like that and to have that perspective when it's really easy to see what's happening in the world at whatever point and get really discouraged and just like kind of lose hope in humanity. But for him to see quite literally the worst in humanity. >> Oh yeah. >> And then to have that perspective is so inspiring and just that's incredible. >> And and he didn't hate the Germans. He drove a German car. Yeah. >> You know, some of people that go through that, they would hate the Jews or hate the Germans or hate whoever caused hell. He wasn't that way. He he was >> like, "Hey, they had nothing to do with, you know, the present." >> Yeah. uh people they weren't involved in that he hated Hitler. Yes. >> But he just didn't he let it go and moved on with his life and um amazing amazing and one of the most amazing thing it was very sad when he ended up with Alzheimer's because he was very bright, very smart and um spoke every language. I mean Denmark is the size of Connecticut so >> you know it'd be like >> very small. Yeah. Like live in New York, you'd have to speak Connecticut and Right. Okay. So, um he was that kind of person and the last three days he had been comeomaosse and he was laying in the hospital and he wasn't reacting at all. So, I'm going to start crying when I say this, but I had brought a tape deck down and I put on the Mormon Tabernacle choirs. God bless America because he was said all of a sudden he started mouththing every word to God bless America and the nurses were crying and we were crying and everything but it came through to him that music and that theme >> and what America meant to him. >> It was the most touching moment of my life. Yeah, >> that's beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. >> Yeah, >> that's incredible. >> It is. What are other like forks in the road maybe that you've experienced in your life that I find sometimes I get a feeling if I like meet someone or I have something I have this like gut feeling. >> Yeah. >> That maybe it's not there's something there that will happen and maybe it's not in that moment and then years down the road that person may be connected to something else or whatever. >> Are there moments >> looking back in your career >> that were like positive forks in the road for you? I mean I guess it's always positive. It always leads you to wherever you need to be. But are there moments that you look back and think, you know, maybe that felt small, but it ended up being huge? >> Oh, yeah. There's so many so many little stories like that that led me Well, even walking into the office. Yeah. Um, one of my favorite stories is um, okay, so we did our first big gift show at um, McCormack Place in Chicago and there was a party for exhibitors and well first no I have to go back. I wanted to be in the gift show. My dad was in the candle business and as a little girl I'd go to gift shows. So when we I wanted to put Ver Bradley in the gift shows. Well, when I called to get a booth, they said, "No, you have to be in the apparel shows. That's an apparel. We don't have a a um category for handbags." And I said, "Well, that's a gift." No, no, no. Well, anyway, I think just to shut me up, they gave me the last booth in the lowest level, McCormick Place, Chicago, at the end of the aisle. You couldn't find us with a freaking map. I mean, literally. And um I was doing the show alone with my little bags and there was an exhibitor's party up at afterwards with hundreds hundreds of people going and I thought, well, I should go to this party. Maybe I'll meet somebody. Okay. So, I go up there. I don't know, a living soul. But I saw a little girl walking around, a little Asian girl. Um adorable cute little dress on and all. And I went and started talking to her cuz I didn't know who to talk to. And the booth next to us, to tell you how bad our booth was, were magnets, like butterflies you put on your camper and all this stuff. But one of the things they had were these little earrings that were magnet. They look like pierced ears. You put a magnet behind your ear and put the little diamondish on top. So, I got to know those people and I we traded product and they gave me I said, "Oh, I'd love to have that because I I had this idea I was going to have my son walk into my husband's office and have my husband faint, you know." But anyway, long story short, so I get back, I'm talking to the little girl and I had the earrings in my purse and I said, "Um, who are you here with?" Oh, I'm here with my mom. Okay. I said, "You want to play a little trick on her?" I said, "Yeah." I So I put the earrings on her and I said, "Go show your mom. Tell her some lady pierced your ears, you know." So anyway, okay. The mother comes over, gets a big kick out of it, and she said, "Who are you sitting with?" And I said, "Well, I'm I don't know." She said, "Well, come sit with us." Okay. So I go over to the table, the program starts, and the mother says to the little girl, "Shh, daddy's speaking now. Will Little comes on stage. She's the head of all the gift shows in the world. >> Wow. >> Now, he is not Asian, so there's no way I could have thought I could have been. No, I couldn't have connected those dots. >> So, anyway, long story short, he sits down, we chat. He said, "What do you do?" Oh, okay. I make these. Oh, where's your booth? It's in Oh, I'll come down and see you tomorrow. So he comes down to my booth. Next show we're in the top floor. >> Wow. >> Main stream. One of the best booths. And then he nominates me to the board. >> Wow. >> And then I meet my husband Pier through the board meeting. So talk about >> things that happened. I mean the the earring being in the worst booth, the earrings, the little girl and we remain we're still friends today. It's just things like that that you couldn't make up. >> And it's you being open to those things too. That's how it even started to begin with. >> Exactly. And talking to the little girl >> and um her name was Ye. Ye little her name. And um and then through then we had the best booth. So, we were among all the top brands and all of that. Yeah. >> Wow. That's such a cool story. >> It is. I mean, it's just But those many many things like that have happened to me. >> And it's just being open. >> Being open and and it's who you are. You're not trying. I think that's the other thing. It has to be real. I mean, like I say, going back to the little I didn't think was that little girl doing that. No way. I never when they said your dad speaking and here I'm at the main table with them. >> I mean, it's just >> it's actually crazy. >> It is crazy. >> I'm really curious throughout your life, what has been your favorite decade so far? >> Okay. I think the favorite decade, that's an easy one. I think when I met Pier when I when I got in to Ver Bradley um we got married in 90 so I'd say that decade. So I was 50s. Yeah I was 51 when I married him. I'd say when I was in my 50s. Now my kids I had them so young they were off by then and I I mean at age 60 I had 12 grandchildren. >> Wow. >> I have three great grandchildren now. I I it was a wonderful era because well you talk about kids leave home and the dog dies but and then you get a new husband that didn't I mean we were able to travel and Ver Bradley was going really really well and but I was still very involved and he kept his own business. One of the reasons we were so freaking happy is that he lived in Chicago and I lived in far away and we saw each other on weekends and trips and stuff. Yeah. But he continued his business. Yeah. Too incredible. >> You know, we both had goals and stuff to do. And >> maybe that's the secret to the healthy marriage is not living together. >> That is to God. I truly think it is >> because you don't lose the excitement. >> No. And then when you're together, like on a weekend, we alternate weekends. We have place in Chicago and Fort Wayne. And every other weekend I'd go there and he but I mean if he'd go the hardware store I would ride with him because we had limited time >> and um we talked on the phone all the time of course but no we had and then when he started having health issues he moved to Fort Wayne and then I took over his company and moved it to Fort Wayne backyard which and then I I couldn't import because I I that wasn't a strength of mine. So I started making men's luggage and that turned out to be successful also back on >> very much so successful. >> Yeah. >> That's just crazy. >> Yeah. >> What do you think is the main difference between the decades of your life like 20s to 30s to 40s? >> Well the 20s I mean when you have four kids in five years you're a mother. That's it's wild. >> But I did play tennis and stuff like that. Had a lot of friends. But I love that. I loved every stage. I I really did. I loved being a mother. And um the next stage, what was the next stage? Then when they were in grammar school, but I liked doing I remember one of our moves. Where did we move? To Michigan. I think we were and someone called me from the school and said, "Would you be on the committee for the, you know, fifth grade Halloween party or some thing?" And I said, "A committee? Yes. Would you?" I said, "No, but I'll I'll I'll do the party. >> I'll plan the whole thing and totally do." You do not need a committee to plan a fifth grade Halloween party. But sometimes people make things so complicated. Of course, she hung up. I mean, I never did the party in a whack job. I'm sure she thinks I'm crazy. But I mean, people overthink, over plan, overdo. Um, that's why with board meetings I they're not my favorite because you're planning, planning, planning, and then when you walk out of the room, it's the get you done thing. Okay. Now, what are we actually going to do? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Let's just do it, not talk about it. >> Yeah. >> You don't want to be bored. You don't want to be sitting there. I think also with the committees for sometimes people just want something to do. >> Oh, yeah. >> So, they just like the extra meeting and the extra Yeah. I like collaborating. I even in the design I used to laugh because even if the UPS man walked through, I'd say, "What do you think of this?" You know, get everyone's opinion, but then know the right people that you want to I mean, I've I've had wonderful people and even a lot of them have retired, but we're still friends today for sure. And um we had the last two groups that Bran Ver Bretle S2CU tried to take us in a different direction. You might have noticed and it went out of our league call it like when I speak in public I'm make it a point to be wearing J Crew or Uniglo or something because people will very often say what are you wearing? Who are you wearing? And I don't want to say Monontlair or Hermes because that's not who we are. I mean, not that I don't like those brands, but >> Yeah. But it's not the brand identity identity customer. Exactly. And the whole thought of starting Ver Bradley was to not be Lily Pulitzer to be for the college girl, >> more accessible >> college nurses, you know, >> teachers. teachers for sure. I adore teachers. Um, yeah. I mean, so we're real. We are who we are. And that's why I think like that example of the the boyfriend bringing the girlfriend, they knew she wasn't a snob kind of, you know what I mean? And or in an airport or I had a interesting thing happen. We had a big um billboard at time time square and Zoe D. Chanel was on it. And they called me from the home office. I was here and they said, "Do me a favor. Go down and get your picture taken in front of the billboard." So, I'm thinking, "How am I going to do this? I'm alone." Okay, I'll look for a family, hand them my phone, and hope they don't run off with it, and get a picture taken. Okay, so I walk over to Columbus Circle and I a cab pulls up. He can't take me. He's off the clock. Next cab pulls up. So she rolls her I knock on her window to make sure she can It's a she. I look in the front seat. She has a Vera Bradley bag >> sitting now. Female cab driver, New York City and a bag, not a cosmetic bag, a big purse. >> So I tell her what I have to do. She said, "Get in." Okay. Now, not only can she take me to Times Square, she's a cab driver. She can park. >> Yeah. Right. >> There you go. So, we get the picture and she pulls it right up where I want to be. Now, h how do things like that happen? It's just I mean it just blows blows my mind. >> It's meant to be. Well, it's because you built something too to where things like that would happen. >> Decades and decades of hard work. >> Well, it's it I don't even think of it as hard work. I just think of it as is fun. Yeah, it is hard work. I mean, I used to set up the stores myself. Um, I all over the world, literally. I mean, I set up our store in I set up our office in Hong Kong. I set up our store in Tokyo and all the stores around. Yeah. >> Wow. >> But it's what I love to do. I'd rather be setting up a store than sitting in a board meeting. >> I think you've read got that. We are we're we don't like board meetings here. 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They have Myron Cosby. Like they've got quite literally everything. But it's like the best curation of goods. I'm just obsessed. Okay. I am curious on your day-to-day life. You're 87 years old. You have pretty recently opened a hotel. >> That's newer. You obvious like you have so many things going on. I'm very curious like give us I know every day has to be different, but give us like a general day in the life. >> Okay. I like slow mornings. >> Okay. Like what time are you waking up? >> About 8. >> Okay. >> 8:00 would be my it Yeah. I mean, if I could, I'd sleep till 10:00, but I I can't. I I wake up around 8, then I turn on the news. I usually watch NBC, find out we're still everything's okay, have my coffee, and then I usually have English muffin with honey. They say that's good for your brain. Um, and then it just dep I check in, you know, with my kids. And like example, today is one of my grandson's birthdays. So I had to give him a call. >> Uh Stephanie, who's here with me, my assistant, who had been my personal assistant for 35 years, passed away this year. So Stephanie stepped into that role. She's got a major job at Vera Bradley, but she's also my personal assistant and keeps track of the kids' birthdays and all that stuff. Um, check with her and then it could be anything. I go in the office work. Um, foundation is very important to me. Um, I'm not a foodie, so I don't go to the grocery store all that much. One of my daughters lives in the same town and she'll people love to bring me food. >> So that's good life. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's pretty easy. Um just a typical day. I can't describe it typ. The office, talking to friends on the phone, talking to my my one sister Joan, my oldest sister, two years older. Um we're very we're the closest of the six kids and our daughters married brothers. >> Oh my gosh. >> So we're very connected in that way. And she just spent a month with me in Fort Wayne. Um >> so we just do stuff. I don't know. >> You're just busy >> busy busy be. >> Yeah. And I don't you know and I did used to needle point. I remember when I was in college but I don't sit long enough. I listen to books on audio because I can still walk around and you know I don't like to just sit. >> Yeah. >> See needle point. I needed something too. >> I needed something to get me to just sit and get off my phone and get off technology. So I'll listen to an audio book and I'll needle point. I do it from like 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. in the morning for my workout. >> And it's just such a good It's so good for my mental health. Honestly, helped me so much in grief, too. But it's just it's so good for me mentally that it makes me feel also I own a needle point brand so that helps but it makes me feel >> productive. My one daughter needle points all the and my granddaughter does too. Okay, I'll send them. >> Um the other thing I have Okay, this um when I'm in Palm Beach um there's a club I go to and they have um water aerobics from 9 to 10 every morning. So, I got hooked on that. And then when I came back to Fort Wayne, I thought, I really like this for I've tried yoga. I've tried everything and I get bored and then I'm done with it. So, I looked around in Fort Wayne. There just wasn't anything comparable. So, I bought a hot tub. I have a threecar garage with one car in it, and it's looks like a white room. I mean, it you never know it's a garage. There's not a lot of stuff in it. So, I bought a hot tub and then I thought, well, it looks kind of boring. So, I ordered palm trees from >> Amazing. >> So, I put palm trees around it. Fake. I mean, they're fake. >> And then I put decals. I got decals. I have a flamingo and I have birds and leaves and then a cute clock that is a beach scene. So I created my own little Palm Beach in my garage. >> Amazing. >> And I do that for one hour a day. So I miss some days, but normally I do it. And I put on Oh, take a chance on me. So I play abba or or I don't know Neil Diamond Sweet Caroline peppy music and then I slow it down and maybe there's a little Selen Deion or something and then I do the uh and so that that is my favorite exercise. >> That's amazing. >> Yeah. >> You mentioned audio books. Yeah. >> Do you think there's a book that everyone should listen to? >> Yeah, there's one. Well, you're going to think I'm crazy on this one, but The Book of Joy. >> That's not crazy. >> By the Daly Lama >> and Tutu is my favorite right now. >> That checks out from this whole talk. Like that makes a lot of sense. >> Yes. Okay. That's I I I love that. But I read a lot of books and they're all kind of Hallmarky, you know? I mean, they're kind of the same story. Um, the other book I love, and I don't know if it's on audio, but it's StrengthFinders 2.0, >> which is my favorite because my strengths came out. It didn't come out business or anything, you know, it came out. Positivity was my greatest strength. Adaptability is my second. Belief is my third. And there they were all things that describe how lucky I am with my frame of mind. I always think when things don't work out for me, I'm kind of shocked, you know? I I really am. I'm like, wait a minute, this isn't my life. >> You didn't prepare for that. You weren't thinking that way. >> No. No. And I'm always thinking things are going to work out. But if they don't and then you adapt to what didn't work out, it turns out to be a better plan B than your plan A. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> If you could leave us with one thing you wish you knew at a younger age, what would that be? I >> I guess I'd almost think how easy life can be really that you don't need to over complicate it and don't don't set goals you can't attain. kind of follow your instincts. I I do it with people. I like 99% of the people I I meet. I like I truly do. And I try to give them slack if if there's something that's kind of weird about them. I think, okay, maybe they've had a bad day or maybe they they weren't raised by Vera and Ed Bradling like I was, you know, and cut them some slack. So, I do have some friends in my life that we'll call them complicated and and but you don't give up on anyone, but I think am I answering that question? >> No, that's a great answer. >> Yeah, just kind of go with the flow and um yeah, I I don't know. Don't >> don't over complicate it. >> Yeah, it's kind of like the let them that everyone reads out. I think I have been a let them. They have their right even politically. I know who I vote for, but I'm not against who you voted for because that's your right to you have a right to vote that. I feel the same way about religion. Let let them believe in whatever whoever they are. I I another theory I learned from my husband, which I love, is usually things are good until they're taken to the extreme. And you could put that in politics, religion, plastic surgery, anything. >> You hit a certain point and it goes the extreme and then it's off balance. So I think keeping things just on a level of your own comfort level and don't take things to an extreme that maybe don't have to be there, you know, stay where you are. >> It seems like you have the opposite issue. I think a lot of people are too controlling. Like it seems like you really just let things happen and it worked out for you. >> Well, it even worked out for my kids. Funniest story. Okay. my ones. So my children because let's face it, I I grew up with a lot of trust fund kids, we called them in Miami Beach. A lot of wealth and a lot and we were we were very well off, but it was a some of those kids were different. So my kids went to kind of through a little counseling thing of how to deal with knowing they'll never be poor, right? >> Is that does that take your incentive away? What does it do? So my son Jim who lives in Boston, he has three kids, Mary um his his therapist was asking him about my way of mothering. Well, what was your mother like? Blah blah blah blah blah. Okay. So Jimmy said that I kind of left him on their own. you know, I was working especially when he was growing up and but I trusted him and I let them do what they wanted to do and and the therapist said I have a term for that benign neglect but not because they all turned out great. >> Yep. >> But I didn't I wasn't a helicopter mom at all. My girls were cheerleaders in high school and they said, "Mom, you never come to our games. I don't want to go sit at a high school basketball game to watch the girls go, "Yeah, yeah, yeah." >> Things to do. >> You want to be a cheerleader? I was a cheerleader. Great. Do it. But and I'll come to an occasional game, but I'm not like the cheerleading moms that are fixing their hair and all that stuff. So, benign neglect. I'm proud of that. I really am because they all turned out well and they did their own thing and um they're wonderful kids and the cousins because I had my kids so close. The cousins are very close. I mean they choose to be roommates when they got out of college and they're they're just good people and we have a lot of fun. We have a summer home and in the summers up at the Michigan, Indiana area and they come to the lake a lot >> and um we just >> Yeah. >> They want to be there. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It's amazing. >> Yeah. >> Well, this has been an incredible hour with you. Thank you so much for coming on. Seriously, it means so much to me. You are the perfect guest for this show. >> Oh, thank you. >> Um where can they find you online or shop or Bradley? Like what would you like to shout out? Well, the one thing I'd like to find if if anyone ever is looking for a charity, the Ver Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Research, I tell you when we first started that, we were giving the money to well, American Cancer, whatever we were and then we went to Indiana University and said, "I want to know where every penny we're working like crazy for this cause and I want to do something about and we know when people contribute to our foundation it's housed at Ver Bradley we take care of that so you give money to that it goes right to breast cancer research and we know we've saved lives I could give you many many examples and we are close to there will be a vaccine for breast cancer in our near future >> wow >> so I always say if you want to do anything cuz you're like me >> do it to that because that's just it's my heart and soul. Um and you can reach me. I'm at bbackard at durabradley.com. >> Amazing. >> Yeah. And no, I just it just simplify everything. That would be that would be my suggestion. simplify and go with the flow and follow your dreams, stay close to the your loved ones and enjoy life. Yeah. And I love New York. I I it the energy in New York is >> Yeah. It's very your vibe because they're up and going. >> Oh my gosh. >> It's amazing. >> But then I go back to Fort Wayne. It's very calm and very nice and great people. Midwestern I mean I didn't grow up in the Midwest so I can brag about it. Midwestern people are amazing. >> They're the best. So nice. >> Yeah. In fact, interestingly enough, when I I went to Marry Mount College in Terry Town, so I come up from Miami Beach and my best friends were people from the Midwest. It was so funny. It just that's who I >> fit with. Yeah. Yeah. >> I know. They're so nice. Like I just love Okay. Well, thank you so much. I can't take any more of your time, but thank you, >> guys. Was she not everything? Like, I'm absolutely obsessed with her. Oh my god. We're going to Indiana. I'm not kidding. Ma and I, you know what I'm doing? I'm booking us flights. I'm going on American Airlines at the airport. I'm booking us a flight and we're going to Indiana cuz we are going to visit her. We're going to stay at her hotel. We're going to go see the Ver Bradley. I I don't know. She's telling me there's like offices and stuff like I I will be there. Okay. And gosh, she's just she's everything. It's so amazing to learn from women who are older than you and have more life experience. I know that sounds so obvious, but I do think that that is something that we've kind of lost. Like I don't feel like people like we need to be learning from them everything we could possibly possibly learn. I'm just obsessed with her. So anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed today's episode. I love y'all so much and I will see you next