WEBVTT - Bonus Content with Melissa Gilbert

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<v Speaker 1>You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garland. We're

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<v Speaker 1>back with Melissa Gilbert. So much wisdom and kindness to share.

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<v Speaker 1>I can't wait for you to hear the rest of

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<v Speaker 1>our conversation. Okay, well, of course we have to talk

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<v Speaker 1>about Little House on the Prairie. I know how much

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<v Speaker 1>people love nine O two and zero, and that's just

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<v Speaker 1>from the nineties. You started a lot earlier. You've recently

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<v Speaker 1>celebrated the fiftieth anniversary, and also a show that's never

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<v Speaker 1>been off the air. It's always on somewhere.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's wild. It's wild to be a part of

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<v Speaker 2>something that has that kind of longevity, but the legacy

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<v Speaker 2>of it and it's so beloved. People love that show.

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<v Speaker 2>They love the stories that we told. They love the

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<v Speaker 2>relevance of the stories that we told. They they're now

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<v Speaker 2>people are looking back and going, oh, Little House. They

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<v Speaker 2>told some pretty poble stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>And just in such a like a non offensive way,

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<v Speaker 1>like not like it.

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<v Speaker 2>Was not its real Yeah, exactly, it was not exploitive.

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<v Speaker 2>We were telling Michael Landon was consciously telling the stories

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<v Speaker 2>of the nineteen seventies through the lens of the eighteen seventies.

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<v Speaker 2>We were talking about civil rights and veterans coming home

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<v Speaker 2>from the Civil War on our show where the veterans

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<v Speaker 2>coming home from the Vietnam War. These were all topical

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<v Speaker 2>and important stories, and unfortunately, so many of them are

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<v Speaker 2>still things we need to discuss today. So that's why

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<v Speaker 2>I think Little House continues on. I mean, we you know,

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<v Speaker 2>we did dumb, fluffy episodes where we just had fun

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<v Speaker 2>Jennify on Halloween, but it was it was pretty hard hitting.

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<v Speaker 2>We took on rape, arson, crib death, all kinds of horrible,

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<v Speaker 2>horrible things on that show.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. I have always been a fan. I watched it

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<v Speaker 1>when I was little, I've watched it with my daughters.

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<v Speaker 1>I got to work with Shannon Doherty who was played Jenny.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes she did. She sure did.

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<v Speaker 1>Such such good, good memories of my childhood from watching

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<v Speaker 1>that show.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Yeah, And.

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<v Speaker 1>It's been such an incredible jumping off point for so

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<v Speaker 1>many other things. On top of having this great, successful

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<v Speaker 1>career outside of that show, you really kind of chose

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<v Speaker 1>to take ownership of Laura, and you seem okay being

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit her forever.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I mean, I'm her and she's me. It's really

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<v Speaker 2>hard to do. It's really hard to differentiate between the

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<v Speaker 2>two because it was so ingrained in you know, I

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<v Speaker 2>was nine years old. It's an acting I was pretending.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, it was a game, it was a job.

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<v Speaker 2>Certainly I had mendus responsibility, but it was it was

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<v Speaker 2>an adventure more than anything else. And it's you know,

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<v Speaker 2>when I was in my mid to late teens in

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<v Speaker 2>early twenties, I sort of wanted to distance myself from

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<v Speaker 2>it a bit because I wanted to establish myself as

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<v Speaker 2>a young woman when people were still thinking I'm twelve,

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<v Speaker 2>and that was kind of a hard, prickly time. But

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<v Speaker 2>now as I've aged, it's obviously something that I've really

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<v Speaker 2>come to embrace wholeheartedly. And now with my lifestyle brand

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<v Speaker 2>with my partner Nicole Hosey, and I with Modern Prairie,

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<v Speaker 2>we've taken that whole ethos and all of that feeling

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<v Speaker 2>and goodwill around Laura and Little House and the Prairie

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<v Speaker 2>and moved it into the future by modernizing it for

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<v Speaker 2>women our age and beyond and created a community where

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<v Speaker 2>they can gather and share and support one another through

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<v Speaker 2>all of these things we're going through at this part

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<v Speaker 2>of our lives. Yes, there's a business component to it.

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<v Speaker 2>There's products, there's clothing, there's crafting. But we have free

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<v Speaker 2>events and seminars on everything from finding joy after grief

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<v Speaker 2>to being a caregiver to making pigh crust. There's something

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<v Speaker 2>for everybody. And the women in our community and on

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<v Speaker 2>our app are now starting to gather together away from

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<v Speaker 2>us on their own and have meetups and lunches. And

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<v Speaker 2>these are women who have felt underappreciated and marginalized simply

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<v Speaker 2>because of their age.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I was going to ask you about this

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<v Speaker 1>because in twenty twenty two, if I'm correct, that's when

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<v Speaker 1>you founded Mone Prairie. Yes, you're with Nicole, your partner.

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<v Speaker 1>Why did you decide that that was the right time

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<v Speaker 1>to focus some of your energy on that? It's no

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<v Speaker 1>small feet. I've done it too. I have kind of

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<v Speaker 1>pivoted to embrace my past and bring it into my future.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know what, the whole I choose me and

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<v Speaker 1>very very very similar stories you and I. Yeah, what

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<v Speaker 1>made you want to do that? Like? How did you

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<v Speaker 1>figure out you wanted to do that?

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<v Speaker 2>It sort of fell into place. I mean for many

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<v Speaker 2>many years I knew there was the potential for something

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<v Speaker 2>Prairie branded, something there, and I had had conversations with

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<v Speaker 2>the branding department at the agency where I'm a client

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<v Speaker 2>for years, and we sort of came up with a

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<v Speaker 2>deck and an idea of what it might be, but

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<v Speaker 2>it fell by the wayside. And then I came to

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<v Speaker 2>know Nicole, who at the time was working in swim

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<v Speaker 2>swimwear and she was working for a company that was

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<v Speaker 2>designing swimwear for the seasoned woman. Let's call me And

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<v Speaker 2>we had a mutual friend who introduced us, and so

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<v Speaker 2>Nicole and I did some Instagram lives. She fitted me.

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<v Speaker 2>She sent me swimwear which is like the torch, like

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<v Speaker 2>trying on jeans, it's agony, and this is so easy

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<v Speaker 2>and this it was great, great swimwear. I felt really

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<v Speaker 2>good on n even posted pictures and she and I

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<v Speaker 2>just started chatting and I told her that, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I'd had this idea for something but it never happened,

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<v Speaker 2>and she said, let me get back to you. And

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<v Speaker 2>about a week later she came back to me and

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<v Speaker 2>she created this deck and this idea for this company,

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<v Speaker 2>and she said, I think I want to do this

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<v Speaker 2>with you. How about you? And I said, are you kidding?

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<v Speaker 2>This is amazing because it was so much more than

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<v Speaker 2>I or anyone around me had ever come up with before,

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<v Speaker 2>because it wasn't just retail, it wasn't just killing stuff.

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<v Speaker 2>It was creating this community in this world of women

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<v Speaker 2>supporting women now at this phase of our lives. And

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<v Speaker 2>so we did it ourselves. We bootstrapped this ourselves, we

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<v Speaker 2>funded it ourselves, We've created it. We're really scrappy. We

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<v Speaker 2>still are, you know, We're we're doing really well. The

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<v Speaker 2>business is growing in leaps and bounds and amazing. Yeah. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>and now we're at the point where we're actually going

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<v Speaker 2>to have to start hiring people to do some of

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<v Speaker 2>the things we do because we're doing too many jobs.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, I mean, who knew at this stage in your

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<v Speaker 1>life as a seasoned woman, which, by the way, what

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<v Speaker 1>is your definition of a seasoned woman? I'm cureus. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>kind of no, but like I want to hear you

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<v Speaker 1>tell me.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it's experience, wisdom, knowledge, self awareness. I think

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<v Speaker 2>that's it. I think I think that's it.

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<v Speaker 1>Seasoned. I like it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. The building of the community is really like at

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<v Speaker 1>the core of it, which I admire.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you and I.

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<v Speaker 1>Wish you all the best, you know, I was going

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<v Speaker 1>to say before, like, at this stage in our lives,

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<v Speaker 1>who would have thunk that we would be back to

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<v Speaker 1>the drawing board, like grinding again to create these you

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<v Speaker 1>with yours and me with mine. Like I've never worked

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<v Speaker 1>harder in my life.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, no, I know, I know, it's it's extraordinary, but

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<v Speaker 2>it's this. It's a different kind of work this go around.

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<v Speaker 2>But right it's like a joyous creative creative. There's so

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<v Speaker 2>much yes ending that goes on in our business and

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<v Speaker 2>and and for us with the crafting space and being

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<v Speaker 2>able to bring that part of myself into the business,

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<v Speaker 2>and and then you know, we just did. We've we've

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<v Speaker 2>done an initiative that I love so much. We have

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<v Speaker 2>we're in the quilting space now. We have created fabrics

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<v Speaker 2>for quilts, a fabric kit with Riley Blake, who's a

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<v Speaker 2>big fabric distributor for quilting, and it did really well.

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<v Speaker 2>We're launching our second, our second kit. But in the meantime,

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<v Speaker 2>we did quilting lessons on the app and I learned

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<v Speaker 2>to quilt. And now we've done this thing where the

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<v Speaker 2>women who quilted have all done blocks with our.

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<v Speaker 1>Fast saw that on your Instagram.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeap, including myself, and then we've embroidered our names on

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<v Speaker 2>it and little messages on it, and our master quilter

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<v Speaker 2>and quilting teacher is assembling them into four quilts that

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<v Speaker 2>we're going to give to Jennifer Garner and save the

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<v Speaker 2>children for their big gala and auction. And we're debuting

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<v Speaker 2>those at a thing called Garden of Quilts in Utah,

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<v Speaker 2>which is our first It's going to be the venue

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<v Speaker 2>for our first in person modern prairie meeting for all

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<v Speaker 2>of our ladies. So we were able to gather as

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<v Speaker 2>a community, even all over the world and country to

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<v Speaker 2>create these quilts that will benefit children in a way

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<v Speaker 2>that we would not have been able to otherwise. And

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<v Speaker 2>there's something so traditionally beautiful about that. It's like a

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<v Speaker 2>quilting circle, a pair of people in the village. Right

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<v Speaker 2>we're taking care of children in our country.

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<v Speaker 1>It's so full circle. I can't take it.

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<v Speaker 2>I know, it's crazy.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like you are back to where you began and

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<v Speaker 1>really able to put your heart and soul into it

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<v Speaker 1>in a way now because you're calling the shots, you're

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<v Speaker 1>leading the you know, you and your partner are the

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<v Speaker 1>bosses Yeah, it's gosh, I know I can relate. It's

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<v Speaker 1>such a great feeling. It's it's so different.

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<v Speaker 2>It really is. It's business, but it's beyond that, and

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<v Speaker 2>that is so fulfilling.

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<v Speaker 1>It's the community. Yep, yep, I love that. So I

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<v Speaker 1>do know that You're longevity in this business is really remarkable.

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<v Speaker 1>What would you want women like me or women out

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<v Speaker 1>there who are listening to know about staying the course,

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<v Speaker 1>staying true to yourself and all the women that not

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<v Speaker 1>just in our industry, but all the women everywhere, because

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<v Speaker 1>it's not just applicable to show business.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it's really important. If I could choose one thing,

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<v Speaker 2>it would be to stay curious. One of my favorite

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<v Speaker 2>things is when I walk into a room or zoom

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<v Speaker 2>or a situation and I'm not the smartest person in

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<v Speaker 2>the room, There's always someone I can learn from, and

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<v Speaker 2>I think that's that keeps that spark alive in us.

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<v Speaker 2>You can see those people who think that they know everything.

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<v Speaker 2>A lot of the leaders in world leaders and in

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<v Speaker 2>our country are that way, and they just look sour

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<v Speaker 2>and heavy and burdened because they've lost that curiosity, and

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<v Speaker 2>that curiosity is well, that's that's the laura. Yep, that's

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<v Speaker 2>what it is, and and that's what will keep me

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<v Speaker 2>vibrant and vital and excited about getting up in the

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<v Speaker 2>morning and doing something and learning something that curiosity, stay curious,

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<v Speaker 2>stay curious.

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<v Speaker 1>That is great advice. Wow, I just love our conversation

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<v Speaker 1>that you are. I'm just I'm in awe of you.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to I want to be you. Kind of

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<v Speaker 1>is that weird?

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<v Speaker 2>Oh?

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<v Speaker 1>I love the laura inside of you so much. It's

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<v Speaker 1>so present. It's just it's you've come so far. Wow,

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<v Speaker 1>you've you're a great example.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, bless your heart. So are you. I think we're

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<v Speaker 2>sort of in like the same kind of pace and

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<v Speaker 2>this will serve us really well. You know, we'll we'll

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<v Speaker 2>we'll reconnoiter in our in our eighties. Well I'll be

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<v Speaker 2>in my eighties before you. I will see where we

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<v Speaker 2>are then do.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm so curious what's going to happen.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know, but I anticipate great things.

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<v Speaker 1>Great things. It's been an absolute pleasure talking to you.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, thank you so much for inviting me. This was

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<v Speaker 2>really special. And I do hope our past cross in

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<v Speaker 2>person at some point because that would be really nice.

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<v Speaker 1>I do too. I will give you the biggest hug.

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<v Speaker 1>I hope it's not too weird.

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<v Speaker 2>No, not at all. It won't be all.

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<v Speaker 1>Have great back, okay, all right, thank you Melissa,