S2EP48-Desi Bolin-Building a Business and Raising Little CEOs: Desi's Homeschooling Hacks

Herb: 00:00:19

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Desi Bolin.

Desi is the founder and CEO of Virtually Sourced, an international virtual executive consultancy that helps business owners scale and clarify systems and freedom.

Known for her straight talk approach to strategy, Desi transformed her own experience of burnout into a business model built around sustainable growth, helping entrepreneurs rise without running themselves raggedy. Desi equips leaders with tools, workflows and operational muscle to move from scattered to streamlined.

Whether you need to solidify your core business structure, expand your visibility or automate your back end, she meets you where you are and builds the pathway to where you want to go.

With a powerhouse network of vetted specialists, Desi ensures her clients can focus on what only they can do while delegating the rest of the her approach combines her high touch coaching with done with you implementation so growth feels supported, not overwhelming.

Whether she's hosting a high energy retreat, guiding a startup to its first six figures, or architecting million dollar systems, Desi brings momentum, precision and heart to every project. Desi's superpower, building the structure so you can fully live within your genius without worrying about the details. Welcome Desi.

It is a pleasure to have you here at our inspirational summit, Business Summit today. I'm just so kidding. It is a pleasure to have you here today, Desi. All of that lead in and I'm going to let you take it from here.

Desi Bolin: 00:01:55

Awesome. Thank you, Desi, for being here also.

And you know, all of that is happening with you in your life and in your structure and on the other side of that is homeschooling and kids and living away from the hustle and bustle of things.

And so I thought this was going to be a great conversation to bring to our families about how do you mix and match all of that, how do you make all that happen and still not go insane because you said you did it to avoid burnout. Welcome.

Kristina: 00:02:23

Yes, it's, it's an absolute honor to be here. It's, it's a going to be a fun conversation.

Desi Bolin: 00:02:30

It absolutely is. Let's start with that first question of why did you decide to homeschool? What was kind of the impetus? Or when did you decide? Why was that the choice?

Kristina: 00:02:43

So, I mean, this is, is circling back to nine years ago. We moved from Central California to a very, very remote, I call it a village. It's only 45 people. Me and my family make up one eighth of that.

And during the winters we get up to 10ft of snow. Schools run during the winter. So that's one factor. And Looking back, I don't use 90% of what I learned in school.

And I didn't want to subject my children to 8 hours of school with 4 hours of homework every day.

Desi Bolin: 00:03:23

Yeah, that, yeah, that completely makes sense.

Kristina: 00:03:26

Wow.

Desi Bolin: 00:03:27

So your town, your village is even smaller than our current town. We're at about 700 where we live, but again, we're like, you know, 45 minutes away from the big town nearby. Yeah, exactly.

And I love, you know, that premise of, you know, if I'm not using most of what I learned in school, you know, besides it being difficult to get to school, why would I put my kids through some of the same kinds of things?

And that's one thing we talk about with parents a lot is when you're looking at what's best for your kiddos, you know, what are your priorities, your goals. Right, exactly.

Herb: 00:04:03

Right.

Kristina: 00:04:04

I think a lot of it for me is letting them, letting them decide what they want to focus on. That's a big piece of it. Because we don't, we don't follow a curriculum. We do, it's, it's called unschooling.

It's, it's very much more Montessori style. It's learning through play. Um, and to that end, I'm seeing incredible leaps and bounds in different areas. Right. My, my son, he's 10, going on 11.

He's definitely trending towards architecture, design, engineering. My daughter, who's 8, is my mini CEO. She knows all of my clients. She always comes and says hi when she's in the, in my office with me.

And, and she, the other day is so funny. She's like, mom, let me type those notes for you. I was like, okay, let's give it a couple more years. Right?

Because I want them primarily focused on, on developing themselves before they dive into something that they may not want to do.

Desi Bolin: 00:05:07

Yeah. And, and that's so important.

You know, when we talk with homeschool families, a lot of them are like, oh, we have to have a curriculum, so we have to have something to follow, etc. And one of the things we coach on a lot is let your child's passion help drive. You know, you can use a curriculum, awesome.

But let the child's passion drive.

Herb: 00:05:26

I got to say, an 11 year old boy getting involved in architecture and woodwork, that involves a great, great many talents. You have to know math, you have to be able to draw and write to sketch out your designs. There's critical thinking and creativity in that.

So yeah, just. And how many 11 year old boys in school right now, 11 is what, fourth, fifth grade?

Desi Bolin: 00:05:54

Fifth grade.

Herb: 00:05:54

Get to experience that kind of creativity. And then if he wants to, like, learn stuff on his own and he can't, then he's got to learn how to read.

And so he's got to learn how to read technical words and understand that. So, yes, the education that he is going to get just because it's like, oh, yeah, I like to bang stuff with a hammer.

And now it's like, oh, look, I can put stuff together with a hammer. And now it's like, I can cut things and now put them. It's like that play. Drew now is into architecture and building and creativity.

And that, that is an education.

And if he only sticks with it for maybe another year or two and then finds another creative way to go, what is he going to be able to do with his foundation of, of architecture work? Yeah, and it's like he's not playing as. That's like life critical. He can build a house now.

Kristina: 00:06:49

I totally agree. It's, it's, it's fascinating because we, we bought him a ton of these little, you know, connects, these little plastic connects pieces.

And it's incredible what he builds out of them. He built a backpack that had wings that came out when he pulled a lever. And it's, it's something that I would never be able to imagine up on my own.

Yet he did it without instructions. He just sat down and did it. And he builds jeeps and cars out of these connects and, and so many other different things.

And it's, it's heartening to see that in an environment where it's not really structured because we don't want it to be structured.

Desi Bolin: 00:07:34

Yeah. And for those people who are not quite sure what we're talking about, Stezy said she's unschooling.

And that is, of course, without worksheets, without curriculum, without. You know, it's not that they're not learning, it's just that they're learning through the play and through the experiencing of life.

And that is different from homeschooling, where you are using a curriculum or you are using co op and classes and things like that. So it's just a little distinction there. And then some people get confused with that word deschool. Schooling.

That's what you do when you take your kids out of school. Is that downtime before you jump into homeschooling where you just kind of relax and find a rhythm and routine. Right. So.

Kristina: 00:08:09

Right.

Desi Bolin: 00:08:10

Schooling is different than unschooling. So just in case people Weren't quite sure of those terms. I wanted to pop those in there. Really?

Kristina: 00:08:16

Yeah. No, I think that's fantastic. A lot of times, the definitions, I mean, I had to educate my mom because she's like, if you're.

If you're homeschooling, why aren't you having him do the tests and do the curriculum? And why is he not reading yet? Right. He hasn't wanted to learn how to read yet. Okay. We're letting him pick it at his own time. Same with my daughter.

And that's not to.

I mean, we have done a state test recently, and it's really, really interesting because he's 90th percentile in every area except for two, and they're both pertaining to reading.

Desi Bolin: 00:08:52

Yeah. So you can't say that he isn't learning if he's hitting that higher marks. Right. Exactly. Yeah.

Herb: 00:08:58

And then when, like I said, if he does get to a point where he's like, oh, I need to learn more about this and I want to read, he's going to devour it because he has a point and a purpose to get to the other end of it and to get it right. So his reading is going to be exponential and he'll catch up and probably surpass everybody within his age group when he finally.

Kristina: 00:09:21

I don't doubt it.

Desi Bolin: 00:09:22

Yeah.

Herb: 00:09:22

That. That's just the way human beings kind of work.

Desi Bolin: 00:09:24

It's like, awesome.

And for those people who might say, oh, that's a problem, that his first, that this kiddo isn't reading yet at this age, part of what Herb said is completely fine. And then the other part is, I know that, you know, as. As a conscientious mom, you probably had his eyes checked in those kinds of things.

There was no physical reason why he doesn't want to read. And there's no, like, learning stutters or nothing that's kind of looking like it is hard for him to do so.

Kristina: 00:09:51

No, I mean, none of that, aside from not being able to focus on something except building for more than three seconds. No. There's no impediments there.

Herb: 00:10:00

Yeah. And actually, if you look at our society, the national stats are that less than 50% of Americans right now can read at or above a sixth grade level.

So if 50% can get up that high, that means a significant portion read even less than a sixth grade level. And we have a functioning society. So if.

If reading is that important, how come it's not more thoroughly taught and emphasized in our schools so that we do have a higher literacy?

Kristina: 00:10:36

Right, right. I definitely agree. And I mean, they see me reading all the time. I was reading right before we, you know, we hopped on to chat.

And I know for me, I was reading at a college level in. In kindergarten. And I'm instilling some of my. My reading and what I enjoy about reading in them, yet they need to discover it for themselves.

Desi Bolin: 00:10:59

Yeah. That's the beauty of that. Unschool model. Yeah.

Kristina: 00:11:03

Yeah.

Desi Bolin: 00:11:03

Now you bow over, jump over to your daughter. You know, you said she's your little mini CEO. She really, really likes either watching you or helping you do things. Right.

So how do you think your business is impacting her in the unschooling, schooling kind of. Kind of way?

Kristina: 00:11:18

Oh, I definitely see how it's affecting her. I mean, a lot of times I'm in my office. I'm in my office every day, and.

And there are certain rules that we have in place because they know I have so many meetings. Most of the time they're not in here yet when I am able to go out or. Or I can hold a meeting with them in here. She's very in it. Like, she. She.

She's over there writing notes. She's. She's over there just looking at the camera and seeing what. Doing. She's hearing how I'm talking.

I think that's the biggest piece she's hearing what I'm saying and what I'm teaching and coaching others up to be, and she's instilling pieces of that in her.

Desi Bolin: 00:12:00

Yeah, she's that. That little sponge who's absorbing right now.

And I actually got the pleasure of meeting your daughter on one of our meetings, and it was just adorable. You know, she's like, oh, what about this? And, yeah, it was great.

Kristina: 00:12:11

Oh, yeah, I know. I think my daughter is there in the reading space. She's like, every other day she asked me, when can I start learning to read?

I was like, whenever you want. And then she goes back to coloring. So eventually, she'll pick it up.

Desi Bolin: 00:12:25

Yeah, she'll pick up that book. Yeah.

Herb: 00:12:27

Oh, because earlier we were talking and you said she wanted to type up notes. Now I understand that she can't read, so that makes it okay. Now I understand that.

Kristina: 00:12:35

Yes. No, she.

Herb: 00:12:37

Inside joke between you two. Okay, I caught up. So, yeah, I get it now.

Desi Bolin: 00:12:43

That's right.

Herb: 00:12:45

Thank you. Thank you.

Kristina: 00:12:46

I'll put her on one of my backup computers to teach her how to type. Not my primary work computer, just in case.

Desi Bolin: 00:12:53

Exactly.

Kristina: 00:12:54

Yeah.

Desi Bolin: 00:12:54

It's definitely gonna have to have that backup and other. A little Mini station set up for when she was.

Kristina: 00:12:59

Yeah. Oh, and I have a big enough desk to do that.

Herb: 00:13:02

When Christina was that age, she would put her, her brother in a desk and pretend to be a teacher and would help him with his homework and set up a school and she became a teacher. So she lived the life, grew up with it and made it her whole life.

And so yes, your daughter doing little CEO stuff, little CEO stuff becomes big CEO stuff.

Kristina: 00:13:25

Yeah.

I think that's one of the most important pieces that I have had instilled in me in the last, in the last couple of months is that every little thing, thing that you're doing matters. It doesn't matter how big or how small because in reality there is nothing small.

Herb: 00:13:43

Okay, so now I have a fun question. Okay, let's go into the kids getting along and, and being socialized. So.

Kristina: 00:13:53

Right.

Desi Bolin: 00:13:53

What? Yeah, myth number three that we always get. But they aren't going to be socialized, they're going to be weird.

Herb: 00:13:59

And you have. How old is your daughter?

Kristina: 00:14:01

And she's eight.

Herb: 00:14:02

She's.

You have an eight year old daughter who is sitting in meetings with adults and straight faced and with a sincere heart giving them advice and ideas to help them. Now does that sound like someone who is antisocial and awkward in crowds?

Kristina: 00:14:21

Oh, no. My kids, I mean, what, they do not always get along with each other. So you know, there is that dynamic.

It is a little bit challenging in that sense because we're here together as a family, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and very rarely do do we ever separate. Am I away from the house for more than a couple hours? Right.

So if we get underfoot a little bit and I think that's normal in a homeschooling environment. I mean, that being said, we are looking at moving next year to a piece of land that has more usable space. Because we are so remote where we are.

We are not comfortable with letting them out alone because of the wildlife. So it's kind of. Well. And we can't, we can't be off grid here because it's too rocky.

We can't grow anything in the, in the summer and spring and summer seasons are too short and I want them to be able to run around outside. I want that. I mean, we mentioned moving to them, what, probably two and a half months ago.

Their eyes lit up when they found out they could garden at the new house, that they could go outside and play. The house we're looking at getting is literally right next to my mom and it has A swing set in the backyard. Yeah. And they're. They're thrilled.

I mean, they're asking me every couple of weeks, and we just have to keep saying, you know, we're waiting for springtime. We're going to list the house in springtime. Right. Because we're going into winter. It doesn't make sense to sell right now.

Desi Bolin: 00:16:06

Right. Yeah.

Herb: 00:16:08

Winter sales are tough.

Desi Bolin: 00:16:09

Winter sales are tough.

Herb: 00:16:11

Usually it slows down just after school starts.

Kristina: 00:16:14

Yeah. I don't want to be moving in 6, 8, 10ft of snow. No, thanks.

Desi Bolin: 00:16:19

Yeah, no.

Herb: 00:16:20

It's tough to get an idea of what the yard looks like.

Kristina: 00:16:22

Right. And then going back to your point about socialization, it. It does prove challenging, especially because we're in a small community, and most of the.

The population of where we are is older generation, so. And everyone's pretty isolated. They like their. Their privacy. And the unfortunate thing, I mean, before COVID we did have a playgroup.

It was about 45 minutes away, and I would take them once a week to go and play with their friends. And during COVID it shut down. And after Covid, it's never picked back up.

Desi Bolin: 00:16:57

That's too bad.

Kristina: 00:16:58

It is too bad because there are so many homeschooling families in this area, and I know a lot of them from the playgroup.

And I think it is always fascinating for me because my children, even though they don't socialize very often, they are always the sweetest, kindest, most generous and considerate people when they are meeting someone new.

Desi Bolin: 00:17:25

That's awesome. But, you know, a lot of that has to do with role modeling, like what you're doing when you're within your business and things like that.

They're watching, that they're seeing, that they're understanding. And even though they don't get along right. You probably have certain parameters about, you know, you can fight, but don't go past this point.

Kristina: 00:17:42

Oh, yeah. No. I mean, like, we have a rule in the house. If you're gonna fight anybody, fight dad. Like, physically fight somebody, go fight dad.

And if you guys can't speak nice to each other, then separate and go do something by yourself for a little bit. Because it's not healthy to keep constantly being at each other.

Herb: 00:18:07

And at the same point, they also get good at conflict resolution. So this town that we're in, I grew up here. When I grew up here, there was only like, 300 people that lived here.

There was 55 people in my high school, 11 people in my graduating class. If you had problems with people, there was no Ducking out. There was no going away. You. You had to deal with it. You had to figure it out.

And so, you know, your kids are kind of getting some conflict resolution. So no matter how mad you get, it's like, they're going to be there tomorrow and the next day and the next day. And it's like.

Desi Bolin: 00:18:43

And self regulation. Right. It's like, I need to take a break.

Kristina: 00:18:47

Right. And. And that's something that we're kind of helping them with too, is.

Is remembering to breathe and to step away when you need a minute or at least communicating that you need a minute to. To gather your thoughts, to think through what's happening. And I think it's very important.

And not enough people focus on the emotional aspects of homeschooling because it. It does take a toll. And yet a lot of.

In my experience, a lot of people haven't been given the tools to be able to cope with whatever's coming up for them.

Desi Bolin: 00:19:20

Yeah.

Herb: 00:19:21

And the fear of the ambiguity, it's like, oh, what if this doesn't work well? What if this. Because, you know, our minds all tend towards that negative. As soon as you like, oh, I'm gonna do this.

Then all of those other little parts pop up with all the reasons to talk you out of it. The buyer's remorse, the. But really, once you get into it, that all goes away. And the only regret most people have is that they didn't start sooner.

Kristina: 00:19:47

Right. What ifs is a dangerous game. I don't get stuck in what ifs. I'm in the here and now. And I usually go by my gut to make a decision.

It's very interesting. When my kids get a little older, I'll do their. Their human design. My best friend's human design expert. Okay.

So I'll have them learn from her as much as I've learned from her about human design. I know that I'm a 2, 4 generator. I'm a unicorn.

Desi Bolin: 00:20:15

Yeah.

Kristina: 00:20:17

That's how she describes me. I'm a unicorn.

Desi Bolin: 00:20:19

Yeah.

Kristina: 00:20:20

I love it.

Desi Bolin: 00:20:21

Yeah, I would love to see what mints are.

Herb: 00:20:23

I pulled mine once and I read it and it was like, wow, that's scary accurate. And showed it to other people and they, oh, that's weird. So, yeah, it's incredibly.

Kristina: 00:20:34

It's incredibly, incredibly accurate. I'm working with her actually on designing and solidifying human design in terms of business.

So she's going to do a human design profile for leadership, on influence, style, on decision making. I like that. I've done all three of them with her and they are incredible.

Desi Bolin: 00:20:54

Yeah.

Herb: 00:20:55

So if you could get. Write it for kids, get it to a point where the children can understand it. So. And give them that personality tool.

You know, I like to work with the MBTI because it's like, oh, you're an introvert. Awesome. That means that you're comfortable here and you're not comfortable there. He's like, yeah. I was like, I want to do that. It's like, okay, cool.

That means we need to build the tools to do that. These other people that are naturally there, they need to build the tools to do these things that you want. So it's like.

And now if you can add in the human design with that as well, because that also gives you like. Like ideas for purpose and for ways to move forward.

Not just this is how you operate, but this is where what would make you feel better moving forward. Is that my generally correct there?

Kristina: 00:21:44

Oh, yeah, you're generally correct.

Desi Bolin: 00:21:46

Okay.

Herb: 00:21:48

Earlier. And get it to the kids level as well. So when. If a parent has it with kids, do it together at their level, that.

That could give so much benefit to moving forward with education as well.

Kristina: 00:22:04

I think that is a really, really powerful idea. I have a meeting with her every Friday. I'll bring it to her.

Herb: 00:22:11

You got the kids that your little CEO girl, by the time she. She's ready for it, can take and run with that. So.

Kristina: 00:22:17

Right. And I think. I think human design is. You're right. It is scary how accurate it is. Right.

I mean, like, I don't really believe in astrology, in the signs and all that. Human design is something that I believe in and I fall back on because it is pretty much written in law like, this is how you are.

And I think there's a piece in that truth. And I think if. If more people were utilizing it, if kids were able to understand it, no telling what would happen.

But I'm sure it'd be something incredible.

Desi Bolin: 00:23:01

One of the things we like to talk about a lot when people are talking about personality tests and things like that, is that it's not to label and put them in a box.

Instead, it gives you that platform of where they're probably going to be successful and then how to build those skills and character traits on top of it to move forward and propel them forward. So, yeah, I can see a lot of great stuff coming because so many.

Herb: 00:23:21

So many people are really good at something and it just comes so natural and it's so easy that they discount it. It's like, I. That. That doesn't Mean anything that's easy to be successful, I have to do this hard stuff over here.

And it's like, you have these strengths. Let's go that direction and then like, fill in tools.

Desi Bolin: 00:23:42

Stop talking about me like that.

Kristina: 00:23:47

You know, whenever it comes that I say is, why does success have to be hard?

Herb: 00:23:53

Right.

Kristina: 00:23:53

It can be.

Herb: 00:23:54

Money doesn't grow on trees.

Kristina: 00:23:56

Money is trees, right?

Herb: 00:24:00

Well, actually it's cotton mostly, but still.

Desi Bolin: 00:24:02

Right. All right. We've gone down that wonderful rabbit hole. But I am curious now, how do you and your husband kind of work things out with.

Around homeschool?

I know you don't have a specific curriculum, but are there certain things that either like you subjects and ideas that you kind of take and elaborate on?

Herb: 00:24:18

Yeah. What is your husband doing?

Kristina: 00:24:19

Oh, yeah.

Herb: 00:24:20

Your kids?

Kristina: 00:24:21

Oh, yeah. I can speak to this. So I have always been the book Smarty 1. I have been. I graduated with a 4.25. I have a degree in medical coding.

Never used my degree in medical coding. Hence homeschooling. And I take pride in learning. I'm a perpetual student, so I am always the one teaching the harder subjects.

So reading, writing, math, you know, I got all the way up to calculus and statistics. And those are subjects that I love to teach. Geography, social studies, you know, all of these.

Science is really fun, yet my husband has more fun with the science side. So he, he is more science. He's survival skills. So it's. It's basic what would happen or what would you need to do in a.

In a situation, especially because we live so remotely. It's. It's a necessary. I mean, so that's, that's kind of the breakdown is as I handle most of it.

And he does the survival and the science and the fun stuff.

Herb: 00:25:32

Yeah. I described it differently. Is like I said, I'm safety. It's like we've disagreed a couple of times, and she always gets her way.

Unless it's a matter of safety. And if it's a matter of safety, then I'm top dog there. And so.

Yeah, I completely understand what you're talking about because safety is a different level and. And then everything else. Yeah, love that. Love that you talk about that. So naturally. And that's kind of like was my framework as well.

Kristina: 00:26:02

Yeah. You know, and being transparent. I mean, going. I mean, having kids and I'm coming from California. This is not something that I ever considered. Right.

It. It came about when it.

When my son was probably close to turning 5 and we were talking about, okay, now do we look at you know, kindergarten and things like that, and the conversation just naturally happened, and we just never wound up putting him in school. And. And honestly, I think the stars. That we did not put him in school and I did not put my daughter in school. It.

The craziness out in the world right now, the bullying that happens, the overcrowding in the classroom, it. It's just. I don't think it is benefiting anybody. How could it?

Desi Bolin: 00:27:04

Yeah, and that's a lot of reason why people are looking at homeschool even more. It's like, you know, first of all, I'm not sure if I can, but if I can, then these are the reasons why.

And a lot of them are those that bullying, that overcodding that. That teaching to the test instead of teaching the strengthens, teaching to wisdom, you know, that kind of thing, right? Yeah, absolutely.

Herb: 00:27:24

So how much time do you spend a day, a week teaching, doing the reading, writing. Because you said. You said that you taught the reading, writing and arithmetic.

Kristina: 00:27:35

Right. So when it comes to, like, those skills, it's more. It's again, it's not structured, so it's.

It's allowing them the permission to come and ask me to learn something rather than structuring time to. To teach it.

Because in doing that, their minds are open and ready to receive the information instead of forcing it, in which it's not going to be retained. So what's the point?

Desi Bolin: 00:28:03

Yeah, exactly. And that's one of the things that, you know, parents talk about also is that, you know, when.

Or I've helped and watched and observed is that when the kids are having fun, they were asking. Sorry about that. Oh, my God.

Kristina: 00:28:24

No, it's okay. I mean, my little dog down here, he's. His head. He's like, what is that?

Desi Bolin: 00:28:30

Sweet.

Herb: 00:28:31

We're on camera. Stop.

Desi Bolin: 00:28:34

Might have to actually edit this episode.

Herb: 00:28:35

No, we won't. That'll be fun.

Kristina: 00:28:37

Oh, my God. Oh, no, it's fun. Keep it in.

Herb: 00:28:39

Because we have this one that's always on our lap, too. So.

Desi Bolin: 00:28:43

So, yeah, I.

Working with parents, those who've had, like, kids who were bullied or whatever, because that's kind of where we were talking about is that once the child got home and was able to relax and not have those things happening, then the learning came really, really easily. And to your point of. Yeah. When they ask for it, when they want it, when they're having fun with it, that's when it's retained.

Herb: 00:29:06

So on a daily basis, it's not like, oh, we do this on this day. And this, on this day, it's, it's when they're ready to learn this, we'll put in as much time as necessary.

And then when they're ready to go on, oh, I have enough for now. And they move. Is that how that works?

Kristina: 00:29:23

Yeah, I mean, usually, I mean, I mean, I'll teach them a few things or I'll spend 10, 15, 20 minutes teaching them something. And then when their brains start to wander, and I can sense starting to wander, they're fidgeting too much, they're not paying attention.

They're, they're wanting to run around right there because their energy levels are bubbling over, which happens.

Desi Bolin: 00:29:44

Right.

Kristina: 00:29:45

In a homeschooling environment, is that they have the option to play. They want to go play usually.

Herb: 00:29:52

So yeah, going on Ritalin to sit their butts down.

Kristina: 00:29:58

Yeah, no, my brother did that. I'm not, not going to do that to my kids. So that's another thing.

I mean, I, I don't put hardly anything in my body unnatural or man made, so it's really just how can I deal with something that's coming up in a natural way? And I think that that's really important too.

Desi Bolin: 00:30:32

But you know, nutrition is one of those things we do talk with parents about as well. Right. Because whenever you are home, you get to actually control what they're eating more.

Because we've done the research and the studies at school that a lot of the school food is full of sugar.

Kristina: 00:30:48

Oh yeah, it's full of sugar. It's not, it doesn't have the dietary needs of kids.

And I, and it's, it's crazy how many children are burning out because of the rigorous things that they're having to do in order to just graduate and their dietary me needs aren't being met.

Desi Bolin: 00:31:10

Yeah, so. So, right, yeah, so go. Moving forward, a lot of people are like, oh, what about high school? You know, they have to learn so much more.

Are, are you pretty much set that you're going to homeschool all the way through?

Kristina: 00:31:25

Through or. Oh yeah, we're going all the way.

I mean, as they get older, I mean, if they hit 16, 17, 18 and they decide they want to go to school, I mean, that's a conversation we'll have. And ideally, no, we're not going to.

Ideally we're going to homeschool all the way through and they can decide if they want to go to college or tech school is my preference.

Desi Bolin: 00:31:48

Yeah, right, absolutely. Yeah.

Herb: 00:31:51

And well, if they're homeschooled all the way through, then college isn't going to be actually probably necessary unless they want a specific degree.

And if they want a specific degree in their home school, they could probably go to the library and spend five bucks and, and get the degree themselves in like six months or a year instead of spending four, four years messing with it.

Desi Bolin: 00:32:11

So.

Kristina: 00:32:11

Because right.

Herb: 00:32:12

At some point it becomes about getting the information and not about getting the grades. And college is about getting the grades.

But if you just know, you need to know it and you don't care about the schooling and the grades and it doesn't matter.

Kristina: 00:32:26

Right. I, I, I know.

Well, I work with a lot of companies and it's crazy because a lot now, I mean, we're in the day and age where a lot of companies aren't even looking at degrees. They're looking at people who have the skill set, the talents to get the job done more than the certifications and the degrees.

Obviously there are jobs that require it, legal, medical, you know, the larger ones. And yeah, in a lot of cases it's like, why even spend, you know, $100,000 to get a degree that you were probably not going to use?

I mean, I did, my degree is an associate's degree, medical coding and billing. I have never once used it and I got my degree in a year.

So I went through it very rapidly and secured that and got certified in it, moved up here, tried to get a job in medical coding and billing and they wouldn't let me do remote. So I was like, this isn't going to work. Right.

Desi Bolin: 00:33:33

Yeah. I love how the pendulum seems to be swung back because, you know, for so many years, when we came out of college, that's all the companies wanted.

You have to have your degree. You have to have your degree. What's your degree in? Right.

And now hopefully, yeah, if you're saying it's swinging back to those skills, that's amazing.

Herb: 00:33:50

Yeah, I had a degree in business administration with a concentration in management. And I worked at a small electronics firm called intel.

And inside of intel you had to have a degree to go into man, you had to have a engineering degree to go into management. You didn't have to have a management degree to go into management. So yeah, it was, it was really, really weird.

Desi Bolin: 00:34:17

His, his manager actually had a science degree in, what was it?

Herb: 00:34:21

Marine, Marine biology. It's like, because it was a science.

Desi Bolin: 00:34:25

Degree, how is that helping manage people in a fab in intel manufacturing place?

Herb: 00:34:31

So yeah, sometimes those adherence to structures that, that we grew up with were, were kind of crazy.

Kristina: 00:34:36

Sometimes.

Desi Bolin: 00:34:37

Sometimes.

Herb: 00:34:37

Yeah, that's why everybody was like, oh, you have to go to college. It's like, no, you don't.

Kristina: 00:34:42

You really, you really don't. And, and I, Christina, to your point, I, I really do think the pendulum is swinging back that way.

I mean, that's what I'm seeing in the companies that I'm working for and even hiring for my own company. I'm looking at the skill sets and the talents and the, and the wherewithal to actually get the job done. More than a credential.

Desi Bolin: 00:35:03

Yeah.

Herb: 00:35:03

Right now, bad carpenter is getting like 150 bucks an hour. Good carpenters skyrocket. So an architecture, somebody who plays with wood.

It's like, why, why would you want to sit and code at a computer if you're an antsy guy when you can go bang a hammer and make a couple hundred bucks an hour?

Kristina: 00:35:21

Right, Right.

And I think it's definitely this whole, the whole way we have everything structured, it's definitely, I think, fostering an air of knowing your worth. They know that I value myself at $500 an hour.

And if I'm going to meet with someone, you can bet I'm going to charge them if they're asking for business advice. If I'm meeting with a friend, I'm not going to charge my friend to meet with them. Right.

And it's giving them an early introduction to expectations of yourself taking accountability and responsibility for what you're creat creating and on in all honestly, they know that I take responsibility and accountability for everything because when that responsibility and accountability is in my court, then I can change it. And I'm instilling that in them. So I think there's a.

In homeschooling, I think there's a stronger foundational piece that's going to propel them forward in life a lot faster and a lot further than anything in school would do.

Herb: 00:36:32

And even if you're not perfect at it, and even if you're not getting it all right, you're be doing better than the school system and you'll be doing it with your family instead of letting the school raise them. It's like, man, they're there, you're there. It's like, it's like they're. There's not six, eight hours a day where they're out, away from you.

It's like, it's like it's your family. They're there.

Kristina: 00:36:56

Yeah. My mom, I mean, my mom has called me and my husband a helicopter parent before, and I had to correct her on that.

I was like, we don't helicopter them. We one, protect them from getting themselves hurt, especially because we live very far away from a hospital.

Desi Bolin: 00:37:11

Yep.

Kristina: 00:37:12

Right. We gently guide them on what they're trying to do. We give advice and ideas for something they're thinking through.

I mean, outside of that, though, they're left to their own creativity and what they can. What they can imagine.

Desi Bolin: 00:37:29

Yeah. So let's jump into you and your business a little bit now. Let's talk about that for a few minutes.

You know, when you decided to become the CEO and do the virtual digital, mostly because of where you are and how you have to live. Right. And make your money.

But was there anything that really said, you know, I want to set up this company kind of business that might be a great model for my kids later in life or anything like that?

Kristina: 00:37:56

Funnily enough? No. No, there was. I mean, my daughter was five months old when I started the company, so she has literally been around it her entire life.

And I started. When I started, I was a regular virtual assistant. I was just stepping in and helping on projects where I could. I actually just.

I actually just fired one of the clients that were one of my original clients. I worked with him for about seven years. And I'm like, the breaking point on that for me, though, is he called me a virtual assistant.

And I said, I'm not a virtual assistant. I'm an executive partner. I'm at a much higher level than a virtual assistant is.

Desi Bolin: 00:38:39

Yeah, you've grown.

Kristina: 00:38:40

Right. And there is. There was this distinction there that he would not get.

And I think giving myself permission to let people go when it no longer serves me or the mission that I'm out to do is something that's really important. And I know that my kids are being exposed to that as well.

And a lot of times in the corporate world, because I have 10 years corporate management experience as well. I got promoted to management when I was in. When I was 17.

So there, there's a lot of aspects in the corporate world that would not allow you to step into the creativity that would not allow you to implement your ideas. And in all reality, it actually stifles your ability to grow.

Herb: 00:39:29

Yeah, that happened at Intel a lot too, is that.

Kristina: 00:39:33

I mean, I cannot tell you how many times I was shut down in my ideas when I knew it would. So at the end I was like, I'm just a face for this company and I'm not going to do it anymore.

Herb: 00:39:45

I actually sat down and wrote down a program and streamlined some code and started using it myself in, in the job that I was running and it made it easier and I told my boss like hey, can I show this to the other guys? And they're oh sure, let's make it a project.

I want you to write up this thing about expectations and what it's going to be and then you got to set up your six month tracking criteria and then you have to create. And I'm like, dude, I already did it. I'm done. I'm not going to do all of that. You need to do all of that.

Desi Bolin: 00:40:17

Like you have to do it documented.

Herb: 00:40:19

So yeah.

Kristina: 00:40:20

Right. Or they, or they take their, take your ideas that are brilliant and use them for themselves. They take credit for it.

Herb: 00:40:28

So I told you about using the disc thing and taking it down to the children. I hope you take that, I hope you make a lot of money off of that.

Kristina: 00:40:36

That.

Herb: 00:40:36

It's not about that for me. It's like, hey, you know what? This stuff is easier and it's going to make my, the co workers jobs easier. Let's do that. I don't care about the money.

It wasn't about that. So.

Kristina: 00:40:49

Right. I don't care about the money either.

My mission, why I'm here and why I'm doing what I'm doing is to love on, serve and support as many people as I can. My mission is to impact millions of lives. And how I do that is not worrying about the money.

Desi Bolin: 00:41:05

Exactly. And it's by raising the money comes.

Kristina: 00:41:07

When you stop worrying about it.

Desi Bolin: 00:41:09

Yeah. Raising kids who are self sufficient who are going to be able to go out in the world and be creative, awesome little souls.

Kristina: 00:41:16

Right.

Herb: 00:41:16

And wow, that would be really great for kids in society. And you go about doing that and then you start making. It's like money too. Awesome.

Kristina: 00:41:27

Right.

And I think with just this lifestyle, I think it's, it's definitely creating and fostering the tools in them to create a job out of anything basically not being stifled or having to rely on what schools, what typical schools are training the next generation to be, which is industrial factory workers. Right. They're, they're trained to go into corporate.

Herb: 00:41:56

America and we don't have industrial factories anymore, so.

Kristina: 00:42:00

No we don't.

Desi Bolin: 00:42:01

We need the creativity and the critical thinking that they're learning is. Yes.

Herb: 00:42:05

Yeah. Our education system is actually designed to, to start erasing the creativity and create a uniform society instead.

Kristina: 00:42:12

Right.

Herb: 00:42:13

Instead of a cooperative growing society. So crazy.

Desi Bolin: 00:42:16

Right.

Kristina: 00:42:17

I don't know why I just thought of that but that's an interesting book.

Desi Bolin: 00:42:22

A book yeah.

Kristina: 00:42:23

Our education. The island military model.

Desi Bolin: 00:42:25

Yeah, yeah.

Kristina: 00:42:27

The island is. The books about dystopian societies. I definitely see parallels.

Desi Bolin: 00:42:34

Yeah.

Kristina: 00:42:35

Yeah.

Herb: 00:42:36

Swinging. The pendulum is swinging.

Desi Bolin: 00:42:38

We're working on it. We're trying to spread the news through this podcast.

Herb: 00:42:41

There's a lot of. There's a lot of things changing. There's.

There's a lot of really good stuff in with a lot of the really crazy stuff, but the pendulum is swinging and. And the light is. Is becoming brighter, so. I see.

Kristina: 00:42:57

Right. Well, I. I would say I meet. I meet a lot of people. I mean, this last week, I've had 46 meetings.

Desi Bolin: 00:43:03

Yeah.

Kristina: 00:43:04

Okay. And it's. It's fascinating. Whenever I share that I homeschool, I either get one of two responses. I'm doing it, too. What do you think of it?

What tools are you using? Right. You know, elevating each other in. In the pursuit of fostering this next generation of creatives, or. I love that you're doing that.

Oh, I. I've even heard that from teachers.

Desi Bolin: 00:43:35

I love that you're doing that. Yes. See?

Kristina: 00:43:38

Yeah. I've. I've had teachers tell me the school systems are crazy, and I am proud of you for doing that.

Desi Bolin: 00:43:50

Yep. And that is a message that we need to have more parents here, because that's our.

One of our other myths is that, like, I can't be a teacher because society and so many people said that you have to be a teacher with a teaching degree to teach.

Kristina: 00:44:03

Nope.

Desi Bolin: 00:44:04

And I'm here saying, literally all I.

Kristina: 00:44:06

Do every year is go down to my superintendent's office and fill out a paper. I write my son's name down and sign it. That we're homeschooling.

Desi Bolin: 00:44:15

Yes.

Kristina: 00:44:16

Next year, my daughter will be included on that form because you don't have to file it until they're nine, so.

Desi Bolin: 00:44:23

Oh, Washington's later than a lot of other states. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. A lot of other states are seven.

Herb: 00:44:28

I'll say.

And if they're in the school system, it sometimes is hard to get them out, because for every teacher that says, good on you, I'm glad you're doing that. They've probably been teaching for 15 years or more, and other than that, the school is going to be. No, you can't do them. You can't pull them out.

What about this? We'll have to do this. And they scare the parents. All of the stuff that they're going to have to do that they freak the parents out.

And then they do, because. Yeah. So while you might. The school system where we are. It's like, even. Even at our local school, the.

The homeschool liaison just doesn't care and says, oh, well, I'll be back in high school, because this just doesn't work. And that's the hot. That's the homeschool liaison at our.

Desi Bolin: 00:45:13

Yeah.

Herb: 00:45:14

And it's a charter school. And that's.

Desi Bolin: 00:45:18

Don't get us in trouble. We're in a small town.

Herb: 00:45:23

I'm not, you know, not. Not a 48 town.

Desi Bolin: 00:45:26

Small town.

Kristina: 00:45:27

45. Yeah. One thing I will say, one positive thing that I have seen come out of COVID aside from the.

The remote work, you know, luckily I had started REM work before COVID Yet the other positive thing that I am seeing out of it is the boon for homeschooling continuation after Covid ended. There are families that I talk to, and they're like, I'm not putting my kids back in school.

My kids are a lot healthier now that we're doing it at home than.

Than they were, you know, And a lot of that is, you know, circling back to the beginning of the conversation where there's a lot of bullying, there's a lot of politics in. In schools, and. And I. I just think. And honestly, most of what they learn in school, they don't use.

Desi Bolin: 00:46:20

Right.

Kristina: 00:46:20

So in reality, it's a huge waste of time.

Desi Bolin: 00:46:24

Exactly. Desi, this has been a great conversation. Thank you so much for spending time with us today.

Is there anything that we didn't get to today that you kind of wanted to make sure that you mentioned or that.

Kristina: 00:46:37

No, I think we pretty much touched on it. One thing. One last thing that I would say is if you're thinking about homeschooling, don't think. Just do. Just do it.

Desi Bolin: 00:46:47

Thank you.

Kristina: 00:46:47

The longer that you think about it, the harder the decision will be.

Desi Bolin: 00:46:53

Yeah, exactly.

Herb: 00:46:54

And if you need to talk to somebody about it, that's what we do.

Desi Bolin: 00:46:58

That's what we do. We're here for you and every other family who wants to do this. Awesome.

And now, Jesse, make sure they also have your contact information, because, you know, we have a lot of entrepreneurs, learners who are trying to homeschool and stuff as well. So if they need someone like you to help them out, how did they get a hold of you?

Kristina: 00:47:12

Oh, that's easy. Just hop on my calendar. It's talkwithdesi.com it's super easy.

Desi Bolin: 00:47:18

Perfect. And of course, everything will be down in the show notes as well. Thank you again, my dear. It's been a wonderful conversation.

Thank you for giving us a glimpse into your life and your business and how, you know, kids are growing up to be happy, healthy, and successful. Thank you so very much.

Kristina: 00:47:31

Absolutely. It's been my pleasure.

Herb: 00:47:33

Thank you for being here. Thank you for being so honest and open.

You know, most people don't necessarily want to talk about this stuff, and, you know, you're out there and you're making it work, and you're sharing your story bravely is like, oh. Because it's like, oh, I'm homeschooling.

Desi Bolin: 00:47:48

Don't anymore.

Herb: 00:47:49

You're out there, you're open, you're having fun, and you're sharing your story with the world. So thank you for coming on our podcast today, and thank you for being.

Kristina: 00:47:55

Yeah, I'm happy to be back anytime.

Desi Bolin: 00:47:57

Sounds good. Awesome. All right, audience, you know what to do.

It is time to, like, review, share, and leave reviews so that everybody else can find out about this.

If this episode was helpful to you, make sure you share it with someone else who is also thinking about the homeschool journey or thinking that I can't do it because I'm too busy running my own company because Desi can. So can you. Anyway, until next time. Bye for now, everybody.

Herb: 00:48:21

Bye for now.