Dida Lange: 0:01

Love the current. You Tap into you and love that part of you and let it shine, because that's what people want to see.

Porter: 0:13

Alrighty folks, welcome back to Transacting Value, where we're encouraging dialogue from different perspectives to unite over shared values. Our theme for season four is intrinsic values, so what your character is doing when you look yourself in the mirror. Now, if you're new to the podcast, welcome. And obviously, if you're a continuing listener, welcome back. Today we're talking our September core values of bravery, courage and patriotism with the mother thrifting queen herself, dita Lang. And before we get to her folks, without further ado, I'm Porter, I'm your host, and this is Transacting Value. Dita, what's going on? How's life?

Dida Lange: 0:51

It's going. I am actually just living the dream every day.

Porter: 0:56

Living the dream. What does that mean to you? What is your dream that you're living?

Dida Lange: 1:01

The dream that I'm living is I am actually actively reaching not just women locally, but women globally, and with my business to achieve the goal in mind was to give confidence to other women within my company.

Porter: 1:18

All right, let's do this First off for everybody listening. Dita and I are on a video call, so you're not going to be able to see her. Dita, I'm sorry they can't see you. However, because everybody's listening, let's work on a little relatability first. I think that'll help with some of this ambiguity too. So, before we get to mother thrifting queen Dita, let's start with you. Just take a couple of minutes. Totally flexible and fluid. But who are you? Where are you from? What sort of things have shaped your perspective on life?

Dida Lange: 1:46

Okay, well, I am a 38-year-old mom of three now, and I'm from Nebraska originally. I have traveled some of the world due to modeling, so I do have a sense of history of modeling and fashion industry 20-plus years, and what has drove me here, or the passion that I have for what I do, is because of the modeling industry and how it impacted my confidence and how it built me as a woman.

Porter: 2:22

Is that necessarily just a certain type of clothing or certain types of events, or just modeling industry as a whole?

Dida Lange: 2:30

Modeling industry as a whole. So I've done from print catalog runway to competition to promotional. I've done all different kinds of modeling and modeling as a whole, like the industry and how it impacted me growing up into it from 16 on, and how it impacted. Just that influence, or the rejection impacted my confidence.

Porter: 3:00

Well, I imagine, especially at 16 years old I mean, most high schoolers are just trying to deal with breakups or not getting homework turned in on time, and you're getting told you don't look good. Yeah, I imagine that would be tough and take a toll. So I guess, first of all, congratulations on dealing with all that. Overcoming all of that alone, in addition to turning it into a business, in addition to becoming an inspiration, in addition to helping people around the world, it says a lot and, frankly, if anything else, I'm surprised it only took 20 years to do. That's huge. Yeah, don't say yourself short there, but what we're talking about you, though. This is also a pretty solid opportunity, I think, for a segment of the show called.

Dida Lange: 3:40

Developing, character Developing.

Porter: 3:42

Character. So what that means for anybody new to the show is I'm going to ask two questions. Dita, totally up to you. As vulnerable as you want to be, it's not really a problem or issue. Though if your answer is I actually have never thought of that before, that's cool too. We can work with it. It's up to you. So my first question what were some of your personal values growing up?

Dida Lange: 4:05

Well, I came from a very conservative Christian household. My mom is a very strong woman of faith and my best friend. So, growing up in that household, knowing that my values really are through the Christian beliefs and through God, knowing that I grew up in that, I did at some point in my life, I think, as most people do, I veered off or steered away from some of those values and tried to discover who I was and try to discover what I wanted or what I wanted to believe, and then resulting into actually falling short from my Christian values and getting myself into situations. So those values are very important, those core values. For that reason is when you don't have those in place, I really believe that you can fall short. You got to have something there to hold on to. I finally came back to that, centered back to that those values as a Christian and my strong faith in the Lord and I was rebaptized and got back on track and now my core values are there, just as I was growing up with Well, so then my second question, coincidentally what are some of your values now? My values now, like I said, come from a strong woman of faith, so I have a huge faith in my Lord. I believe that everything I have is from Him and I believe everything I've gone through. Yes, we are human and we are allowed to do what we want to do, but when you follow the straight path and you follow Jesus, you have an abundance, an abundance of joy, and whatever that looks like to me could be different than what it looks like to somebody else, but following that path, my values do lie within the Christian beliefs.

Porter: 6:07

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Dida Lange: 7:02

Following that path. My values do lie within the Christian beliefs.

Porter: 7:08

I think a lot of that consideration for other people's perspectives and opinions isn't, I guess, as widely understood. You look at history, or just throughout history, not to get too deep into it. But Christianity for a while I've been talking hundreds of years for a while tried to push and push and push and push that other people's views were wrong. Now it's evolved with the times, being more open-minded within reason, being more considerate of other people's views. I think one of the biggest learning points is that it's okay for people to have different opinions and different views. What you need to understand is that everybody has different opinions and different views, so don't be an asshole.

Dida Lange: 7:50

Completely.

Porter: 7:51

I think that the other side of that coin is you can still have a strong character, you can still have let's call it a relatively moral perspective and be a little rough around the edges. I don't think it necessarily means you need to stay polished and shiny all the time.

Dida Lange: 8:08

Right. I will say that the old Christian beliefs, or some of the older Christians, they kind of follow along that path that you're talking about. But I live by and I love this to the team. My pastor told me this and I live by it Hate the sin, not the sinner. We are all sinners. We are completely all sinners. We all have our vices. Who are you to judge your brother or sister? Who are you to pull the splinter from their eye when you have a log in your own? On that note, I believe that God is just love. I just want to shine and give that kind of love and give that back.

Porter: 8:55

We had a lady come on the show, broca. If you ever get the chance to listen to our conversation, she actually is coming back on for this season as well, but I think maybe September last year so season three she first came on. That's exactly what she talked about. She's a children's book author, a Harvard graduated children's book author. That's what she basically talks about the role that gratitude and joy have in her life and her perspective based on her faith. Essentially that's guided her inspiration for some of her books, or most of her books. For one, you're certainly not alone in that perspective. Being able to spread joy and love and humanity through the world is, I think it's a gift, but the irony is you really can't do that until you lose it. Being able to I don't want to say take lessons learned, but let's say increase awareness of whatever hardships you went through In your case, you said that was a 20-year modeling career. I'm no expert in modeling For anybody. Obviously you can't see our video. I'm not even entirely convinced what I'm wearing matches right now but I record at home, so it's fine. I've seen Next Top Model and that's really the extent of my insight into the modeling world. I've seen Miss USA, I had an ex-girlfriend who modeled for a little while. That's all I really got. I'm also willing to bet maybe hysteria typically a little bit, but there's a lot of guys that might listen to this that probably have equal or less insight into the modeling industry. You said you work primarily with women, but I imagine your experiences aren't specific to any particular gender in the modeling industry.

Dida Lange: 10:37

No, exactly right, Men and women within that modeling. I knew guys that their confidence was completely tore down as a male model. They just never felt good enough. I had a very friend that he would constantly tell me my skin's not good enough, or I'm just not built big enough, or I need to be more toned. There was never anything good enough. And that's how they make you feel, because each agency, each client is looking for something that is specific. The problem with that is we take that personally, we take that in and we absorb that very personally. When someone tells us we can't fit that mold, when we wanted to fit that mold, when really we have no business fitting that mold, let it go here. Someone else is going to want you, someone else is going to love exactly where you are, exactly who you are when you grow up in the modeling industry, especially 20 plus years. I'm 38 now, so we're looking back at the modeling industry when it, fairly, was ruthless. A lot of it has changed now. There's a lot more acceptance now, like tattoos and curves and different shape, sizes and heights. All of that is more accepted than what it used to be. Where I was a size two in New York and I was on the runway. I met with an agency afterwards and they told me I needed to lose two more inches. I was already a size two at 5'10". There was no two inches to lose, there was only bones to show. At that point I found myself at a place, being a young age, accepting that and saying, okay, I need to fit that mold because that's what I'm told. I'm not good enough. This is the mold I need to fit to be good enough. As a young woman, we absorb that very easily and very easily influenced, because we're still trying to discover who we are. Who am I? Am I supposed to be accepted this way? Or would I be accepted if I actually was me Sure?

Porter: 12:39

That's for anybody, as a teenager, as an adult. There's midlife crises that happen all the time. Yeah, that's complete. Yeah, I mean the catalyst may have been the modeling industry, but people get bullied. People end up in abusive relationships of all varying degrees of romanticism, but at a workplace is no different. All right, if folks sit tight. We'll be right back on Transacting Value. Are you a marketer, brand strategist, ceo or podcast fan at work, seeing the benefit and profitability that podcast advertising can bring to your business, noticing that billion dollar valuation that advertising through a podcast can convey? Or maybe you're just missing out on the millions of listeners to audio podcasts and wondering how do I reach that market segment? What is your wealth generating strategy? With ad value through SDYT media, turn your business marketing gaps into added value. We'll work with your marketing team to highlight your brand's values, vision, mission and social governance with your product or service in a custom designed audio only podcast ready advertisement, written and recorded in-house with our decentralized team. Don't just think of adding value. Work with SDYT media to transact it. Here's some of our work featured in season four of the podcast Transacting Value, and visit TransactingValuePodcastcom to read along in the transcripts too. To work with SDYT media. Add value and email the sdytmediacow at gmailcom. Today, people get bullied. People end up in abusive relationships of all varying degrees of romanticism, but at a workplace is no different, and I'll tell you this for anybody who's new to the show. I'm active duty in the Marine Corps and I wouldn't call it an abusive relationship. Some of it is self-induced and some of it is necessary. Right, there's a fair amount of hardship and a fair amount of ridicule and rejection. That has to take place because it requires in the DoD, in my opinion, only a little bit of desensitization to be able to be successful, and sort of intentional distancing. But similarly, whether you have help, a mentor, you start to figure things out on your own. In either case, you also need to be able to become more self-aware and build up your tolerance and your resilience. Right, the thick skin type analogies. Did you find that that was something you were able to do, dita, on your own, or did you have mentors to rely on? What worked for you?

Dida Lange: 15:17

Like I said, my mom being my best friend, she really is a very strong woman and I am very fortunate and blessed to have a mom to look up to as I do. I was able to develop that thick skin. Was I able to do that right away? Oh no, there were a lot of tears. There were a lot of other things along the way, like eating disorders, and there was other things that I was influenced to do, and I did speak of abusive relationships. I wasn't abusive relationships. I didn't value myself higher or my worth higher than what that person that was abusing me told me I was. I got in those situations because I didn't value myself that much and I was tore down, but I came out on top. I definitely developed that thicker skin and I also came into myself and I had this epiphany who is Dita? Who is Dita Really? Who am I and what do I want out of this life? What is my purpose? What is my drive and my passion?

Porter: 16:21

You did that by calling home. That was your wake up.

Dida Lange: 16:25

Believe it or not. Yes, it took talking to my mom through a lot of this stuff. I also talked to a counselor and I highly suggest anybody to not feel shameful to get a counselor or find someone to help you if you are going through that kind of trauma, abuse or a history of something that has tore you down and you need help working through it.

Porter: 16:49

Yeah, asking for help says easy, does hard.

Dida Lange: 16:53

Yes, true.

Porter: 16:56

This was a while ago now, maybe a decade or so I got told hey, you need to go talk to an anger management therapist. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I'm not doing that, I feel fine, I don't have to ask anybody anything. So, true to form at the time. Eventually I got talked into it, came around to the idea I think it was an hour or something like that for the first meeting About 40 minutes in I said fuck it and walked out, didn't go back after that. But I didn't understand why I was there. In hindsight I think because I didn't understand who I was showing up. So I didn't see the benefit and what they were trying to promote there as a therapist or even a social worker. Now, what they try to promote is a benefit to who you're projecting not necessarily who you are actually, but I think a lot of the times we run into, maybe due to some sort of unawareness or ignorance, maybe you just don't see your surroundings for what they are, but you tend to get complacent. Sometimes you focus more on your goals than the atmospherics or for any other number of reasons, and I think a lot of that, coming from a place of conflict, gives you a resentment gives you guilt, you don't have to worry about losing weight at that point. It just sort of melts off from stress or doubles up in stress. There's a lot of, obviously, health impacts from that too. But I think, with a little bit of awareness which, like you said, talk to the family you were born into, talk to the family you create as you go through life, whatever applies, but talk to people whose inputs and opinions you trust, and then you start to gain a little acceptance and awareness and I think that eventual contentment can bring some peace to your life and it's a total life-shifting perspective change, I think, when that moment hits. So I've met with therapists, I've met with social workers, I've had some come on the show and you know what, in hindsight, I think overall transacting value was my own way to self-medicate and therapeutically enhance my perspective. I guess, and it's opportunities like this You're a stranger, I see you right. I have a rough idea. You might like ACDC and you enjoy getting tattoos, but you hit on it yes.

Dida Lange: 19:10

And those are accurate.

Porter: 19:11

I think I'm a lifestyle as an outward expression of who I am personally, and I think people should yeah, well, it's a lot more fun too once you're able to accept and own and embrace and stand beside what you stand for and all of these other analogies in life. So, like in your case, you went from at least what was a relatively vain industry to you're still like. I've seen your Instagram. You're still promoting, you're still taking pictures. You're still doing it in a missing fashion. You're still modeling, just your own brand right.

Dida Lange: 19:43

You can't take the model out. You just can't take her out of me. I love to do just that. I had a passion for it for so many years. Even though the industry to me. I can look at it as a whole. I can look at it negatively for the experiences I've had, but I can also look at it as a positive thing and how I came out of that and what it's done for me, and not just those experiences that were negative. There were other good experiences. There were other things that also developed me and who I am now and my voice and the confidence that I carry. And going back to a little bit, going back to about how you said it's hard to ask for help I couldn't have been the worst person to admit I needed help. I'm stubborn and I'm horrible at it and obviously, just like you, like I went there and I remember you know just like, oh, this isn't even working. I'm not. What are we doing? I'm talking to a stranger. How can this help me? And you shut the door on the whole idea. But I knew, after I talked to some family, or after I talked to my husband, I it just was like, no, you need to give this an opportunity in order to get better.

Porter: 20:54

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Dida Lange: 21:57

It just was like no, you need to give this an opportunity in order to get better. And I did that and I, even though that first, I would say the first five sessions, I have trust issues from my abuse of history, I have trust issues. The first five sessions, I didn't want to trust this person. What tells me that I can trust you with these vulnerable moments? I can't trust you with these. I don't know you, but the truth is that's what they're there for, that's what they're supposed to do, and we fail to see that. So I had to go back to that and anybody else that's out there. That is just like I'm not going to a counselor. That's admitting. I have a problem, honey, we all got problems, admit it.

Porter: 22:42

Yeah, sure, sure, everybody's a little broken. If you live long enough, it's just wear and tear, it happens. You know it's interesting, though. You said modeling agencies earlier and you made me think of ownership and awareness, and it's again. I'm not super tuned into the modeling industry as a whole, or any part of it really, but it almost seems like the agency is shifting. Who really has the power? For example, major league baseball or the players look at this. Writers, actors strike. The agency and the representation can't do anything without the people, and I assume similarly in the modeling industry, agencies in the industry as a whole trying to dictate. Well, here's how we want things to look, here's what we think is appealing, here's what publicists are saying is popular. But ultimately now it seems like, at least from my point of view, that models are able to own a little bit more of their own agency in how they promote and produce and showcase and photograph right.

Dida Lange: 23:42

Time has definitely evolved and models are having much more of a voice. I still have friends in that industry that are living it to its fullest and they are with huge agencies walking for huge designers, or some of them are actually film producers that I know. And I tell you what there's a voice to be heard now in the industry where models were a no speak role.

Porter: 24:07

Yeah, you're not talking about on the runway. You're saying like, just metaphorically, didn't have representation. What do you mean?

Dida Lange: 24:13

Like a role of not speaking, like a model. You didn't complain about what they put you in.

Porter: 24:18

God, I got it.

Dida Lange: 24:19

You didn't speak up when they told you to lose two more inches. You didn't do that. Or you lost the gig, or you lost the agency, or you got booted. You didn't do that. You didn't dare do that. Now it's people speak up and they want more what's?

Porter: 24:34

changed.

Dida Lange: 24:34

And they want. You know what I don't know exactly what changed, more or less probably like what you said, like who's really in control here? The players, or is it the league?

Porter: 24:47

Yeah Well, there's got to be a certain balance to that. I mean, like we brought up history earlier, I think there's a lot of things pick an industry, pick an era, pick a generation throughout history where it's sort of ebbs and flows. It's the revolt or the revolution and the toppling of some structure, and then it's rebuilt into a new structure and then a new toppling later, and I think it goes back and forth. But an important aspect, at least in my view, is balance, meaning there's still roles, there's still a need for some structure. There just has to be a little bit more. What would you say? Civility, mutual respect, representation, a lot more of that. Yeah, yeah, well, and so now let's talk about what you brought with you. How are you translating positive and negative experiences into this brand, mother, thrift and Queen? What makes it better and different?

Dida Lange: 25:40

So transitioning into this brand from my personal experience of just not feeling good enough and always lacking that confidence in who I am, or feeling that imposter syndrome, or feeling like I need to fit a mold in order to be accepted. I see it in women more than men, because I'm obviously, as a woman, surround myself a lot more with women and I style a lot more clients that are women. But I see it in women that they think they're not good enough or they don't think they're pretty enough If they don't fit this mold that society says is beautiful. That's where Mother Thrift and Queen came in to play. Not only am I thrifting the secondhand fashion, upcycling and doing something there not to get into any of the politics of recycling but not only am I doing that, but then I'm turning it around and I'm giving it to some woman that doesn't believe that she can wear this style because her body type or because she's a mom, or because she's just too busy to even put the time in to look good. You're worth that and that style, even though people are like well, what's the big deal? What's the big deal to even put something together? There's something big to do that you look in the mirror and you feel good about yourself. And when you feel good and confident, guess what? You're going to be more productive, you're going to have more confidence to do something, you're going to be fearless in something that you want to do because that confidence is going to exude and you're going to stand taller. So style has a huge play in confidence and I can't wait to reach more women globally and let them know that love the current you Tap into you and love that part of you and let it shine, because that's what people want to see.

Porter: 27:27

All right, folks, stay tight. We'll be right back on Transacting Value. Alrighty folks, here at Transacting Value, we write and produce all the material for our podcast in-house game perspective alongside you, our listeners, and exchange vulnerability and dialogue with our contributors every Monday morning. But for distribution, buzzfrot's a platform to use. You want to know how popular you are in Europe or how Apple is a preferred platform to stream your interviews? Buzzfrot can do that. You want to stream on multiple players through an RSS or custom feed, or even have references and resources to take your podcast's professionalism, authenticity and presence to a wider audience. Buzzfrot can do that too. Here's how. Start with some gear that you already have in a quiet space. If you want to upgrade, buzzfrot has tons of guides to help you find the right equipment at the right price. Buzzfrot gets your show listed in every major podcast platform. You'll get a great looking podcast website, audio players that you can drop into other websites, detailed analytics to see how people are listening, tools to promote your episodes and more. Podcasting isn't hard when you have the right partners. The team at BuzzFrot is passionate about helping you succeed. Join over 100,000 podcasters already using BuzzFrot to get their message out to the world Plus following the link in the show notes lets BuzzFrot know we sent you. Gets you a $20 credit if you sign up for a paid plan and helps support our show. You want more value for your values. Buzzfrot can do that too.

Dida Lange: 29:00

Love the current. You Tap into you and love that part of you and let it shine, because that's what people want to see.

Porter: 29:10

Here's the counterpoint to that. Not to disagree, but to compliment. I'm sure there's going to be some veterans listening to this and they're like, oh great, here we go, another bootcamp story. Yup, buckle up, it's coming. So I went to Parris Island which, if anybody's unfamiliar, is in South Carolina. Real shitty island. Lots of mosquitoes, sand fleas, not important. The point is going there, like I mentioned earlier, you're going to get broken down, but you're physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, you're just going to be exhausted. But that's the point. It's to rebuild in this common, unified front image. I'm only attributing this to the Marine Corps. So as you get built back up, it's not you as the individual, it's you as what you are representing, sort of this spiritual entity of Marine. And in that endeavor, over the course of I think it's 13 weeks now we graduated and when we graduated, or within a week or two before graduating, we have a senior drill instructor and his role is to oversee the other drill instructors. It's all hierarchical, but the point is he goes through and inspects all of us and we're standing there online and we're in a formation and he walks up and down and checks each of our uniforms with a ruler and for cleanliness and all of these sort of more regimented and disciplinary type tactics. And I remember for us specifically at the end of that inspection, our senior drill instructor if you're anywhere out there, I think he retired as a first sergeant, but first sergeant Perera. Anyway, he finished the inspection and the only thing he said? He smirked and he said that's what I'm talking about. If you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you perform good. And then he walked away and that was it. And so we were there in our uniforms and we get there for graduation and we're walking in formation drilling, just walking in an organized group, basically, but across the parade deck, just an empty, vacant, sort of basketball court looking thing. And then we go into this building where all the families are and it's like you walk through this waterfall of emotion and it just hits you At least it did me when you walk in and you see your families that you haven't seen in two months, or I guess it'd be three months at that point. But you're crisp, you're part of this image, your fashion is dictating how you feel, because you look good, you look presentable and you just exude a different level of confidence than when you showed up 13 weeks earlier, and so you do this with people you've never met. Right, it's all decentralized, mostly for you. So how do you build somebody's confidence that you don't have 13 weeks to get to know, or that maybe you don't have a unified goal or an image to get them to fill, Like maybe in the modeling industry, for example? How do you say blonde hair, burlap, six inch stilettos, I'm going to find it. How do you do that?

Dida Lange: 32:07

How do you cultivate confidence with people you've never met For starters, I can't control how they're going to feel. Honestly, I would love to give them confidence with style but, like you said, I'm not with them for several months or weeks to help build that backup. This is just a starting point for them to realize their worst, to realize that their value is a lot greater than throwing on some sweatpants and a messy bun and walking out the door feeling like this is as good as it gets. That's why elevate that, so that way they know that their worth is there. Can I say that the women that I have styled, or the clients that I've styled, are they like storing now with confidence and who they are? No, I can't say that. I can't say that for sure. I'm sure it's a work in progress. It's a work in progress in me every day. There's always something new I want to pick over, there's something that I want to say that I don't like about myself. But it's a constant work in progress to be comfortable in the skin we're in and then evolve and grow at the same time. So I can't say that they're storing with confidence out there. But I can say when I get the feedback from my clients that say I've never felt better, I've never felt so much prettier since I had a kid, since I had a baby, I've never felt so good, I've never felt like I could wear this. I would have never picked that for myself, but it's my favorite now because I look so good. So when I get feedback like that, that tells me I'm making an impact on their confidence, I'm helping them build that.

Porter: 33:39

Not only have I never walked out of the house in sweatpants and a messy bun, I've also not gotten any clothes from you, but your story alone is making an impact, Dita. Don't say yourself short. I think what you bring and what you have to offer, with all the baggage of whatever you want to attribute that to, it really sounds like you've learned how to make a little carry on of all the good things.

Dida Lange: 34:01

Yeah you can say that Carry on. I love that.

Porter: 34:06

Yeah, and then do something with it. And so I don't know, man, there's a lot of things about materialism and fashion that aren't really in my repertoire. From vocabulary to sense, I don't have really much of either, but I understand emotional resonance, I understand connection with people and trying to align humanity with humanity, and at least from what I can see on this video call and what I can hear and what I hope everybody's hearing in our conversation, is that you figured it out. You're there, you know what I mean. I don't know to what degree you're saying this is my bar for success, but if you're able to find ways to help people feel more like who they were or who they want to become you made it in my book. I think that journey is maybe only beginning, but at least you're in the right direction. So I got to say before I get anywhere else congratulations on that. That's a huge accomplishment.

Dida Lange: 34:59

Thank you. I really appreciate that I don't consider myself there at the success level that I want to be at. Like I said, I really want to reach women globally. I just recently milled out my first package to an international client. I finally reached someone globally. We just recently spoke and she feels amazing and all the clothes that she sent me pictures and she's in love with everything and feels really good about herself and them and that right there was a milestone or a success step for me. But I'm looking to reach more obviously. I guess I want to stay humble in the fact that, yes, I feel like I'm offering the world, but it's just a piece, like you said, and I love making that impact. There's so much more reward in that than the actual financial side of it.

Porter: 35:52

Humility is a tricky balancing act too, I think, once you start seeing some call it degree of success. Actually, for the sake of time, it's probably going to be my last question, but what do you rely on to stay grounded and maintain a perspective that you're not unduly inflating your ego or something? How do you stay humble? What works for you?

Dida Lange: 36:13

Believe it or not. Here we're just going to go right back to full circle. Here we're going to go right back to my values. The Lord keeps me humble. He keeps me humble and he makes me realize that he's given everything to me, and the money is not mine, it's the Lord's, and I know that he's going to constantly provide and he's going to constantly bring the people that actually need me or actually should be in my past. I really, really believe in that, and he keeps me humble enough to know that it is his work and I'm doing his work.

Porter: 36:47

I like that Conduit, not a catalyst. So, dita, I appreciate the opportunity and I appreciate the conversation, I think even more, just what you've been able to explain and how you've been able to explain it. And from what I remember, a couple of weeks ago when we spoke, you said you don't do podcasts that often. Was that right?

Dida Lange: 37:06

No, it was actually. I've done one before you. Someone wanted me to be a guest on the airs and I was absolutely nervous. I'm not going to lie. I'm over here pitting out and I'm still granted, I'm in my sunroom and the sun is coming in and I'm really hot, but at the same time I'm still nervous, my palms are sweaty and I worry if I'm going to fumble over my words or if I'm just going to sound. Well, let's just be out there, I'm just going to sound stupid. So I do worry about that. That's the vanity in me there. It is Just worrying about how I'm going to come across. There's just about letting that go and going with the flow on this.

Porter: 37:44

Yeah, I totally agree. I think that took me about a year before I started getting comfortable. And what are other people going to think about all these things? For whatever it's worth, whatever two cents I can add to your wallet here, people are going to judge you and some might think you're dumb.

Dida Lange: 38:03

That's the reality of it.

Porter: 38:04

You know it is.

Dida Lange: 38:06

Oh, I read this quote. It said what you think about me is actually none of my business.

Porter: 38:10

I love it.

Dida Lange: 38:11

If only we just kept that mentality and we don't need it to be our business those people. If they think poorly of us, let them go and think poorly, that's okay.

Porter: 38:20

Now, the flip side is true too, though, for the record right, there's something to be said for just being aware of how you come across the people. Yes, yes, absolutely. You know that does count for something. But, Dita, if anybody wants to find out more about Mother Thrift and Queen you, maybe they want to get into modeling, maybe they want to work with you, I don't know. But if anybody wants to, in any capacity, find out more about those things, where do you recommend they go? How do they do it?

Dida Lange: 38:45

So my company is making a little bit of a shift and change, so the best opportunity or the best way to reach me is going to be through Instagram. That's going to be at Mother Thrifting underscore queen. There you'll be able to direct message me. I will personally answer, or you can click on the link that's attached to my Instagram bio. There it's going to lead you to a couple of different directions. You can even order your style bundle there and work with me one-on-one, and I am a one woman show. Everything is personally me. There's no automation. I have really structured my business to not have automations. I like to personally read your form, I like to personally get to know you and I like to personally be the one talking to you.

Porter: 39:33

Oh, you have actual consults too prior to. It's not just fill out a paper and then you make it match.

Dida Lange: 39:38

They have to fill out a form and it's like through questionnaires, and it gets emailed to me and from there I personally email back Sick.

Porter: 39:47

Well, for everybody listening, and you did say primarily women, right? Just so I'm clear.

Dida Lange: 39:51

Primarily women, but I actually just styled a male. It was actually one of my clients husband. So sometimes, you know, the women will rope the men in there and I love it. I personally, if a man feels good enough to just come on my way and, you know, just want to get styled, sure Sweet.

Porter: 40:10

Let's do it Sweet. Well then, so for everybody listening, depending on what player you're streaming this conversation, click see more, click show more. Or, obviously, if you're on our website, just scroll down. But, dita, the link to your Instagram, we'll put it in the show notes and that way you will have some back links shooting back to your profile also. But for the second time, I really do appreciate this opportunity. I think it was a great conversation, I think despite how nervous you might have actually been or thought you were going to be, I couldn't tell till now. We just aired it out to the world, but otherwise it was great. Being vulnerable, yeah, that's what it is right. That's being human, that's how it goes. So, but I appreciate the opportunity, I appreciate the trust you put into this and allowing me to sort of lead this dance, and it was great. I appreciate it. So thank you.

Dida Lange: 40:56

No, thank you for having me, and I told myself a long time ago when I opened this company. I wasn't going to share my personal story and this was a very recent thing that I was okay with sharing and being vulnerable about where I came from and how the modeling industry impacted me. So actually you'd be one of the first to actually get this on a podcast of behind the scenes how I even came into this.

Porter: 41:21

I'm honored and, like we said earlier, the role is being a conduit right, so I'm glad we could make it work out. But for everybody else listening as well, thank you for tuning in and listening to our core values for September of bravery, courage and patriotism. Also, I got to thank to a certain degree and I don't know specifics people within the modeling industry and your clients that you've worked with. Obviously your mom. Big thanks to her and then your kids for giving you the opportunity to learn how to balance life a little bit better. I think that carries its own stressors.

Dida Lange: 41:53

If you want to call it balance, yeah.

Porter: 41:55

Yeah.

Dida Lange: 41:56

Something like that.

Porter: 41:58

Well, that's how it works right. Your husband, thanks to him for helping you reason and rationalize a little bit. I think without those inspirations, though, this conversation wouldn't have been as cool as it was. So thanks to them, but also to our show partners Keystone Farmers, market, hoofenklecker Farms Obviously both sprout. Thanks for your distribution as well. Folks, if you're interested in joining our conversation you want to check out our merchandise Any of our members only stuff. You can check out our website at transactingvaluepodcastcom All of our other conversations are there as well and follow along on social media. We'll continue to stream new interviews every Monday at 9am that's Eastern Standard Time on all your favorite podcasting platforms, but until next time, that was Transacting Value.