Welcome back to a new season of 9 to 5ish. We’re kicking things off with Jessica Alba and Lizzy Mathis, two best friends and co-hosts of the show “Honest Renovations” on The Roku Channel. There are plenty of home renovation shows out there. But theirs highlights the importance of mom having their own space to recharge. As moms of three kids each, they learned that the hard way.
In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Jessica and Lizzy share:
Their friendship origin story and why Lizzy lied to Jessica about her age for years
How they took the jump from being friends to becoming co-hosts of a show
Why surface-level friendships don’t last in business partnerships
The burnout of filling others’ cups before their own, and how they fixed it
Tips on dealing with the highs and lows of the holiday season
On Getting Real with Your Co-Founder
Lizzy: If you have a surface level relationship with a friend, you probably shouldn't do it. Because you won't be able to get into the weeds and then come back from it. Jess and I literally have had tears-streaming-down-our-face arguments in parking lots, in bathrooms, and we've gotten past it because when we have something that's with each other, I don't like carrying it on. I’m like, “Let’s attack it. Let's figure it out.” If we are best friends, if we are sisters, then we get past everything. There's nothing that can come between us.
On Why Becoming a Mom Made Her More Ambitious
Jessica: The first years of building [my] company were very fulfilling. And I think the misconception is that once you become a mother, you lose ambition, or you lose drive, or you lose creativity or desire to be in the world. I really felt like I thrived. I found my purpose in a different way. I found my power in a different way. And I was thinking about legacy differently than I ever did prior to. I was never more ambitious, but in a purpose driven way. It was different. It wasn't just about career milestones. It wasn't about that…I think just that shift in purpose and why I'm here, why we're all here and what I could possibly pass down to my kids and the example I want to set for them.
On The Impact of Losing Her Mom
Lizzy: There are two moments in my life now that I realized have really shifted who I am: giving birth, becoming a mother for the first time and losing my own mother. When I gave birth, it was this new found purpose, creativity and power. You don't realize what you're capable of, right? It's almost like it's right under the surface. And then that moment you become a mother, you're like, Whoa, I am capable of all of this. I can multitask, I have the power to do this and I am driven. You feel like you've almost exploded in a way. And that's how I felt. But losing my mom was interesting because I didn't realize how much it would affect my life. You don't have this endless amount of time. Time is very, very important and you have to make sure that you are using your time not only wisely, but intentionally. And so for me, it gave me a newfound perspective, with business and with family. You really have to be very in-tune with who you are and you have to be very intentional about where you spend your time and time matters.
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