Erin Ovalle is a household name in Maine. She launched Maine Life Media in 2016 and now has 3 television shows under her belt. Alex and Erin talk about both her home and work life and how she got to where she is.
Podcast Transcript:
AS 00:06
Welcome to this episode of Serra Speaks. I'm Alex Serra and I am thrilled today to be joined by Erin Ovalle. Erin, thank you so much for coming on today.
EO 00:17
Thank you for having me. It's so good to see you.
AS 00:20
It's so good to see you too. We're going to try to keep this conversation linear because when you and I get together we can have many in offshoots. So good luck audience. We hope we can keep it a linear train of thought today. So Erin, you and I met I don't even know how.
EO 00:43
Years ago through Quincy.
AS 00:45
I think so Quincy Hensel who has been on this show. And had kind of similar in some ways beginnings and went in two different directions which I love this story. We both started off as well It started off but earlier on were reporters in Maine and you stayed with it and you became an anchor person and tell me some more of the story for people who don't know and have been living under a rock.
EO 01:10
Hi everyone. Yeah, so I started as a nightside reporter here in Maine. I left from Florida. I was a reporter and anchor there and came back closer to home and then moved my way up to the morning anchor position which had been a goal of mine and then just Yeah, I was doing well loved Maine and stayed and then at that point after five years in the seat I was in at one of the stations decided that my calling was to go out on my own, start my own business and tell the stories I wanted to tell which were the more positive ones that weren't necessarily being told. Because of you know, at the time, it was just a lot of staffing issues. They didn't have enough you know, man and woman power to get out there to tell the stories about the new business opening in Augusta or whoever and mean and so I wanted to take that opportunity to try it.
AS 02:08
And we're fast forwarding now a few years but you are now the host of the very successful Maine Life and you have a new show Places and Spaces and you have become your own and you have a show in New Hampshire now.
EO 02:24
Yeah, I should have counted how many shows I have now but I think I've created maybe six or seven and at that 730 half hour time slot on channel six and channel two when that opened up when the legendary Bill Greene retired, I pitched some of these new concepts such as Places and Spaces, Dock and Dine and stay tuned for more exciting series next year. I just pitched some some new cool concepts that we'll be working on so yeah. New Hampshire Life that was a new venture for me I've wonderful partners and conquered an awesome host and partner Kate Sullivan. She's phenomenal and I've really enjoyed getting to know her coaching up you know, she's never hosted a show before so she's just a natural and a good human.
EO 03:17
So people tend to look at people but other people once they've kind of arrived and they have their shows or they have their business or they have their whatever. You've got thousands of Instagram followers, you've got numerous successful shows, you've got a recognizable name, face, brand, and that's what people see today. But the making of the sausage.
EO 03:44
Did you see that episode?
AS 03:48
You literally actually made sausages but but the making of the sausage is is not pretty like nothing from the day you decide to quit your job to six or seven shows, Instagram influencer extraordinare, Maine Media Mogul, that space is not pretty. How do we how do we get there? What do you want to say about getting there? What's it really like?
EO 04:17
A great analogy? Um, well I really do genuinely say I feel like I blacked out that first year because I mean financially. Everything went into Maine Life Media and Yeah, kind of the construction of that and my mom was a huge help in giving me a hand up and I owe her my life because I mean, yeah, I didn't have a paycheck and I knocked on doors. And I think what really helped me not only being successful at news anchoring, but volunteering. So I would volunteer a ton and donate my time. And I met wonderful people who believed in what I was going to be doing. And those people I will never forget who they are, the checks that they wrote to sponsor me and have advertising that probably at that time, nobody even saw but they did it because they believed in my mission. And, you know, year two got a little bit better. I partnered at that point with Reed Brower, who I credit, a ton of mentorship, he introduced me to a lot of people, and then year three back on my own and just have been growing from there. But it is interesting when you say, sometimes people don't even look at you until you have a certain following or writing credibility or whatever, right? It's just, I get it, but I'm not gonna lie to say that it doesn't feel a little like, oh, now you want to talk?
EO 04:51
Now you want to be my friend.
EO 05:53
Right? So yeah, I don't know. I kind of keep notes in the back of my head. But yeah, I get it. Yeah.
AS 05:59
But it's scary. And I know, having opened my own company, how terrifying that moment is putting your own name out there. And you and I've talked about this, like, the sheer terror of that moment in whatever your chosen industry is a really difficult hurdle to get over. And I think it holds a lot of people back especially women, what would you say to people that are considering doing it, but are afraid?
EO 06:29
Oh boy, I mean, I think that I wrestle with this still, it's getting better. But I know I have a calling and a gift to tell stories and to get to know people and, and create content. And that's my gift. And I put myself out there and I actually like I absolutely love it. Can't imagine doing anything else. But I also hate it at the same time. Because I'm so vulnerable. And it is scary and you are putting yourself out there. But at the end of the day, when I think back on why I'm doing this, I it's just in my blood. And I think you have to you know that your parents always say like, it's a gut feeling like do you feel it? You know,
AS 07:15
Find your passion. You'll never work a day in your life.
EO 07:18
But I really do feel like you know, my gut has not lied and I have cried many tears of Yeah, you get beat up. Yeah, you totally get beat up and you just have to keep on going. It's so we're insane. It's so easy to work for somebody else. But it sometimes you just like lay your work down on the owner, right? Or you're just like, okay, like I've had enough like you deal with that. And that's not the case when you're, as you know, in charge of your brand and everybody under you. It's scary. Petrifying. But what I say I got to do it. You just have to do it. If you want
AS 08:07
The one of the best analogies I heard was that, like painters have to paint. Right, right. And musicians have to make music. It's not a choice. Yeah. And so if you're an entrepreneur, you've got to give birth to these things, because that's your own creative form.
EO 08:24
My husband met me and I when we were dating, he was finally like, clicked it I'll never forget, he looked at me one day, and he was like, you genuinely love people. Like you're not even faking it like you really. He’s like, Did you really want to know about that person's grandfather? Or? like, Yeah, why? Like, Yes, I did. He's like, this is fascinating. I just never really met somebody that just wanted to know, their whole everyone's whole life story. And, but I also draw a lot of inspiration by interviewing people and getting to know... I interview, you know, business owners every single week, and I get so jazzed about their story, and it helps me Yeah, go forward. And yeah, remember why I'm doing what I'm doing.
AS 09:08
Now, speaking of Hubby, you have a new little addition to your household. Aaron is a new ish mom. Not brand new. But new.
EO 09:18
You saw my belly. Oh, yeah.
AS 09:20
You were at my house.
EO 09:22
Yeah.
AS 09:24
About three weeks before you were due I think like it was pretty close to the fall.
EO 09:30
I had a big belly. He's a big baby.
AS 09:34
How old is he now?
EO 09:35
Nine and a half months
AS 09:36
Nine and a half months? How has being a mom changed your perception of your career? Because I think when people become parents, I hear as a non parent, that a certain perspective sets in. Right?
EO 09:51
Totally. And I think every mom working mom, and entrepreneurial mom, we call it Mom-Prenurial.
AS 09:59
I've seen that Yeah yeah that's cute.
EO 10:02
Probably everyone I talk to go through the same emotions they I want to be with Brooks as much as I can but I also am I love what I do and just this every single day a challenge. Some days are harder than others, some days the challenge is super exciting and rewarding and but I love just seeing his little face and but I want him to also have the work ethic that Jason and I have. And you know you wake up, you've got priorities and I get really excited though he's eating real food now so I know I'm not a cook but I'm trying.
AS 10:38
That's awesome.
EO 10:39
He's so he's the best thing that's ever happened to me.
AS 10:41
He is so cute if you all are not if you don't follow Erin on Instagram you have to and you have a new mom account so is it..?
EO 10:50
@MomLifeMaine
AS 10:51
And oh my gosh. Like as I'm a puppy person, like I know I love my puppies, but the beat and I like babies, they're cool. But every now and then there is a baby that I'm like, I can't even get enough of this one. Do you think Jason struggles with the same kind of thing that you do? Or do you think that's more inherent to your experience as a mom versus his experience as a dad?
EO 11:12
Yeah, nope, totally different totally differently to how so he can compartmentalize a lot easier and say okay, I'm going to work I get to see Brooks I family time and then we can time or whatever. I it's all encompassing for me, especially because I'm I own my own business. So that's my baby plus like, yeah, I think too, when you are an entrepreneur, you are wearing how many hats? Yeah, so you learn fast to juggle so many different roles anyway, and I think I always had to harder juggle for me, but yeah, but I do it. Do you feel like men that are like that? I don't know. Like they just have sometimes a better
AS 11:58
I mean, I'm again, I'm not I have wonderful step children and grandchildren that I've inherited. So I'm so blessed in that way. But I don't have that. You know, I didn't raise the baby. So I haven't had that experience. But for sure. I mean, I just think in general, I think from everything I hear men are more able to compartmentalize. I am able to compartmentalize though. Oh yeah, you and so you're good. I'm pretty like okay, I'm in the office. There are no puppies here. There is no husband here. I love them so much. And I can't wait to see them when I get home. And yet here I am. I'm so happy, right? Yeah, yeah, no, like, That's for me. But I don't know. I'm just dude like in that way.
EO 12:42
Yeah , I like that about you though.
AS 12:43
I can roll out with that.
EO 12:45
No, I really you keep me in check.
AS 12:51
I will say that when we first met, it was like instant chemistry. And we had so much I think people might anticipate that two women in similar areas of business would be like, competitive with each other. And we have like, none of that at all. I'm always like, go Aaron. I like share yourself, like I'm into your brand and what you're doing and I love it. And I know you're just as supportive of me, obviously, you're doing this right now. But do you find that that's the case with women? Or do you find women to be competitive? More so or do you find like, how do you find the circle of women in your professional sphere?
EO 13:32
Oh, I knew you were gonna ask that question. And I was thinking a lot about it on the way up because I was trying to not be negative. I find both.
AS 13:40
I think that's a fair answer.
EO 13:41
I have the most amazing women in my life who have been supportive.
EO 13:46
Like Quincy, yeah. And you know, she I don't see her often anymore with our lives being so busy, but I know if I texted her and needed her tomorrow, she would be there. Yeah, same. For instance, with my new partner Kate in New Hampshire, for New Hampshire Life. I'm basically teaching her to be my competitor. But that is such a beautiful relationship that's grown into potential partnerships down the road.
AS 13:46
Like Quincy
AS 14:12
The rising tide lifts all ships, right.
EO 14:16
I've had unfortunate circumstances with both men and women that have been extremely cutting and competitive in a non friendly manner and stealing of ideas and mean, you know, things said behind people's backs and you know, yeah, yeah, but I think, I don't know, I've heard this too. As you get older, you care. It still stings when somebody you know, isn't a kind competitor. But it's also I'm like, okay, move on.
AS 14:47
You know what the hardest thing is for me, only one of these two people has been on so far. But Betsy Sweet, who's a friend and Charlotte Warren, who's a state representative. They always say to me, if someone doesn't like you, that is none of your business. I'm always like, oh, oh, like it hurts so badly. I'm like, I'm really likable and I'm a really good person and I am fun. How can they not like me? And it's like, you know, maybe they find me x, y, and z, and they just don't. It's none of my business. It's like, God, isn't that hard? That is so hard.
EO 15:23
Yeah. I mean, it is. Yeah, obviously that Yeah, you're like, wait, what's wrong with me? I think I'm a good person. I but I that's easier to swallow than somebody that I know. I have a hard time. When someone wrongs me letting go. I'm like, yeah, I'm gonna stick it to you. And like, yeah, could you do that to me, and I need to do a better job of because that just clouds my success and future because I can't focus on what I want to be, you know, doing and what I'm great at thinking about who's the next person who's going to try to steal an idea or take take business from me or whatever it is. I have to really work on that. That's my that's something I need to trust. Yeah. Yeah, go to therapy for.
AS 16:10
Listen, that’s been thirty years for me. We’re all figuring it out. I get it. I think trust is really hard. And I think it's finding those people that you just know, like, will be in your vaults will be in your corner.
EO 16:23
And sticking with them and sticking with them and being and doing business with them and and supporting them.,
AS 16:29
Right, because it always comes back. 100%. There's them. We were talking about Martha Stewart before we started recording, and there's this great clip that went around. I can't think like it was her and Snoop Dogg and they were talking and he was like relationship. Oh, my God is my favorite relation. Have you seen the new, lighter ads? They're fabulous. Oh, we'll have to when this is over, it's hysterical. Um, but anyway, there's this, there's this thing where it's like, of course, you want the people who work for you to be smarter than you and to be more successful than you and to you know, because they're gonna be the ones who are taking to the next level. Like you don't want to have to be the one to take you to the next level, right? Like train people up, you know, make sure they're confident make sure they're coming up with creative ideas. It's like this great business advice from Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart I was very appreciative that I saw that clip on the interwebs.
EO 17:25
I just emailed my team channel six and two have resigned us for next year. And I thanked my team and said if you have anything feedback positive or negative, please privately message me and I want that open communication and I want them to tell me but at the same time, right you're like, Okay, I'm ready for it. Like what can I do better? How can we grow and you know, make make awesome content? And yeah, so I'm waiting for those emails guys.
AS 17:58
All of a sudden your voicemails or I mean, or your emails gonna start dinging relentlessly while we're sitting here. What do you see as your like endgame? Like what's your ultimate goal?
EO 18:11
So I have a lot of boxes that I've checked already. I thought my ultimate goal was to be a morning news anchor in New England and that happened a lot sooner than I thought and so you know now I'm in this new role and I'm I don't really have an i don't know. I'm going every year I have new goals for myself and I'm just going to keep going until I'm done and I amnot done yet I know that feeling right i mean i there I'm the type of person though I could do I would love to do I would love to work at a local coffee shop and just know I relax and enjoy talking to the customers and supporting another business and maybe someday I'll get to do that but right now I have more content to create I just partner with somebody in South Carolina so I'll be heading down there to do places a spin off of Places and Space in Charleston in that area.
AS 19:07
Oh my God, you're so perfect for Charleston.
EO 19:09
I just want to sort of deeply be a southern belle. It’s so pretty there and everyone seems to be really sweet.
AS 19:18
Next thing you know, everyone we're gonna see her on Southern Charm, and she's gonna be on Bravo's we're gonna have Erin franchise on Bravo TV. That's my dream for you. Oh, by the way, I would love that. Oh my god, I love Bravo TV. No, really. Can we just get a whole I have a whole series worked out by the way. You know how there's like, well, we'll have this conversation offline. I have a whole franchise for me that I that I have in mind that’s would be very funny for Bravo.
EO 19:45
Maine would be great.
AS 19:46
Andy Cohen, if you're listening, one, I've totally read your book, two, I watch you every night and I love you so much. And three, I have a series idea for you up here in Maine. Call me for 458-0148.
EO 19:57
Call me too.
AS 20:00
Erin can star in it. So okay so goals? Regrets? Any?
EO 20:06
Oh I know I mean in which kind of regret, business?
AS 20:11
Business, business.
EO 20:16
Sorry I had to think about that for a second. Regret, I think again not letting people take you down or slow you down just keep going and because that energy the energy that you put in time and energy you know like move on. See the light at the end of the tunnel and keep and you know when people say no to you like it's okay, you'll get a yes eventually. So my regret just would probably be I wasted a lot of energy and emotion on either the no’s or negative energy that I did not need to surround myself with. So, no but that I mean that's the first thing that comes to mind. I love my team, I love my partners, I love my community, friends I think I think we have a good thing going. It's not perfect.
AS 21:10
It’s a good feeling, isnt’t it?
EO 21:11
It is. I made a good I wasn't always in a good spot ya know and just tons of moving parts and My Personal life Relationships you know obviously that affects your professional life when you're starting a business and now I'm just I feel like you know it's not perfect but I have wonderful people and I'm doing what I love in the state that I love to do it and I'm promoting Maine businesses and people and that is I mean awesome so fun so fun. And I think but you know to say that I expanded my reach to New Hampshire now the Carolinas I think I guess going back to the goals it's I want to learn from other people and try new things because not that Maine is limited but I want to be challenged to outside of this state.
AS 22:00
Well we have 1.3 million people here right babies included and you know other states have like 1.3 million people between the blocks of like a street and like 32nd Street and you know Manhattan like that's like there's just it's a different media market completely so it's you know.
EO 22:17
And bringing those ideas that energy from people I when I go to New York, I haven't been in forever but I find that to be a vacation for me sitting in Time Square and watching people like from your you know, hotdog cart to people that work in you know, it's just Oh, the energy the the hustle, but the hustle is I missed that like a little bit of you know. Maine is definitely a hustle in a different way. Mainers are Yeah, totally hustlers in a different way.
AS 22:48
It’s a different it takes a hearty spirit to live here. It's not you know, it's a different way you know who else I think of when we have this conversation is the awesome folks over at Maine Cabin Masters. Like they hustled a brand, right? Like they, and I love them so much. And they're just such genuine, awesome human beings and they’re neighbors of mine and all that. But they really truly that's a hearty spirit thing. That's a different type of brand than you're going to get in like, you know, Manhattan, which is there is a game to be played and there's kind of rules of the road. It's a different, totally different type of hustle.
EO 23:27
But I have a laugh because we have a few New Yorkers on my street now. They totally they're so happy to be because they moved here, the pandemic, but sight unseen didn't even see there. So I'm just Hello. Are you new here? She's like, yeah, I'm so and so what's your name? What do you do? And I'm like, Well, okay, you're in Maine. But I liked it. I was like, Yeah, you're gonna be my friend. And yeah. Anyway, that's funny.
EO 23:51
Yeah. Well, we welcome all the people who have moved here from Yeah, during the pandemic, pandemic moves. It's, you know,
EO 23:59
I mean, I know it's put a, you know, our real estate markets kind of out of control. But we do. Yeah, I mean, it's not their fault.
AS 24:06
We got to grow. We got to grow. Yeah, yeah. What would you say to anybody listening that's got the next great idea, but they're just anxious to get started. What would you say?
EO 24:20
Have a plan. I mean, you have to have a plan. I mean, there's passion that takes you so far. But without a business model and a financial model. I've seen a lot of people flounder and not know where to go or what to do or surround yourself with the right people. Like I'm not a finance person at all. But finding an accountant or bookkeeper to keep me on track because I'm so bad at that or just set you know, getting your surroundings and your team. The people that are really good at what you're not good at. Yeah, because that could easily it's a slippery slope. Because your creative idea could be the best idea, but without the support behind it, and the financial model of how you're going to succeed. Make sure to get all that in line. As soon as you can. Sometimes it's hard because when you start out a lot of people have $0. So yeah, once you get a little bit of cash or cash flow or or a loan or whatever it is, make sure you really have someone watching your money or your decisions, because it's scary. Yes, you could, you could fail it real fast.
AS 25:32
Yeah. worst situation to be in is an undercapitalized business in the first few years, for sure.
EO 25:37
Yeah. And I first I was self funded until I was in that awkward position. I think it was year three where I needed money to grow and I didn't so I did take a line of credit out and I used it for that year and haven't had to use it. Since you're three which I still have it just in case which feels good because I that cushion, just you know, right? But it's okay to have some debt as long as you have a plan to pay it back and take it to grow. Right. Right. And I saw I listened to Shelly Pingree wants to talk about trying to get a loan back in the day and how hard it was for her as a female and Oh yeah, I never forget that because I had some way back in the day had some other issues like that. And it's just it's it's it's not cool.
AS 26:31
We couldn't get a credit card. No names couldn't.
EO 26:33
Yeah, I couldn't I couldn't get a credit. Yes. Now before Maine Life Media. But anyhow, all I love Kennebec Savings Bank.
EO 26:43
Hi, Andrew. Andrew Silby’s, the President Kennebec Savings Bank, and they are a great partner to Erin on her show. And Andrew Silsby overall is a great citizen. Just a wonderful human being, gives back so much to the community and in so many ways.
EO 26:59
And believes in small business. Keep surrounding yourself with people that will help you and not just shut the door. Yeah, they're like, oh, you're you're the no name right? And then you go back Oh, five years later, I'm an I'm a name and you slam the door in my face like, not cool.
EO 27:16
So tell me I asked a lot of people this at the end of our conversation when they come on here. What is it that you digest? What's your music? What's your chillout? TV, like? What do you read for news? Like what do you bring into your brain? What's in your space?
EO 27:34
I like that question. The Skim is where I get like a lot of my national international headlines. Airmail is a new one I've been reading it's kind of fun. Let's see for TV, to be honest, I don't watch a lot of TV I watch it to be inspired. I watch different Netflix series and stuff, but I don't watch a lot of TV. I watch it to be inspired for myself as a producer, and how I watch it in a way you know, how did this scene transition into this scene and what was awkward or that occurs?
AS 28:09
You can't get a show without deconstructing it like hey, how come we haven't done that angle? And all of a sudden you're like texting non stop and taking pictures of the pause screen totally.
EO 28:20
And then music right now it's Disney's best hits. No, but I don't know. Snoop Dogg gets me going. I don't Yeah, yeah. Cool. Yo, back in the 90s Oh yeah, jam I just Gangster’s Paradise makes me so happy. I had a big meeting the other day and I like right before I walked in blasted that from like sixth grade and I was like I got this meeting, I'm gonna win, I got it.
AS 28:47
And you rocked it. I'm so sure.
EO 28:49
It was funny. Don't you have a song? Do you have what's your song that gets you?
AS 28:54
Every Woman. No, I'm kidding right No, I'm what isn't I'm I'm a real I'm you know, I love classical music. I love like we're I actually we're talking about visiting New York. I love Puccini so much and I'm going to go, with maybe Ben who's producing this and his boyfriend Seth. We are going to go see Puccini's Turandot in mid November at the Met.
EO 29:24
Oh wow.
AS 29:28
So like for me that like makes my whole all my blood rush to the top of my head and my mother in law will be joining us as well. So that is going to be the four of us but it's gonna be so much fun. We're so pumped and we're gonna have Italian food beforehand. And then go see some Puccini is like that's my like, That's for me as my like ultimate.
EO 29:48
Classical music. I don't know a ton about it, but I will listen to it in the car over a podcast sometimes like I have my podcast but I'll also listen to classical music just to calm myself down. So if you have an extra seat.
AS 30:01
Oh,
EO 30:02
I would love to, I’m Italian.
AS 30:04
We will be we will be Python over here. We will be booking a seat right after this.
EO 30:09
Oh, it's so cool. Fun.,
AS 30:12
Well, Madam Ovalle, thank you so much. I can't thank you for enough for taking time out of your busy schedule.
EO 30:20
It’s nice to be. It's actually this feels like a little bit of therapy for me talking through these questions are good for everybody. You know whether you're an entrepreneur mompreneur, whatever whoever you are out there, think about these questions. And have a gut check with yourself. Yeah, and what am I doing? Why am I doing it?
AS 30:39
Right and for us to just press pause and kind of look back a little bit because we've all come a long way baby. Yes. Thank you so much for joining us for this episode of Serra Speaks.
AS 31:00
Thank you for joining us for this episode of Serra Speaks where we talk with women about business, not about women in business. Please be sure to hit subscribe and stay tuned for upcoming episodes.