Cara Gerardi on service that are available to all women here on the Cape and Islands

saraphina and I were in a entrepreneurial book club where Stephanie never read the right book and Stephanie was terrible at this book I I really stopped at CL I did not fabulous I'm what I just had a visual just had a visual proud of it good morning everyone thanks for joining us on the show I had the loaded question asking of how is everybody feeling today that is just blowing up my Facebook feed so it's a scary question I apparently quite loaded this morning and there are I might have to shut down comments on the on the socials just because people are kind of losing it today understandably I know wherever you are emotionally feelings wise carara and I are here for you today to just have a conversation about the the things we can do that was good so cheesy that was really good let me use that later seriously though I'm really pumped to talk to you we've never actually officially met in person yes so I was like just come over and bring your coffee hi so good to meet you I'm not a stalker I brought my ginger ale not my coffee perfect so uh maybe you can give people just an overview of who you are and what you're doing over at week can in the program because I feel like you and I connect on so many levels uh as a small business owner um you're a super smart lady by the way uh you might not know that she has a master's degree worked in the DA's office well I mean it's just really important to see some smart women doing cool things and and the change of Direction in your career yeah yeah it's a it was a odd track um and I started out actually with a bachelor's in acting and directing so that's another uhde wide turn if you will that's awesome I feel like you're way too young to have had so many lives I look very young so so I hear there you go I love it uh yeah so my name is Cara gerardi uh I'm a staff member at we can I've been there for about a year and a half now um so I am the program coordinator and I run the two business support programs which are called grow getting results from other wisdom and own it which is being piloted this year which is um so we can is uh an organization nonprofit that offers services to Cape Cod and Island women who really just need some guidance uh maybe in a place of uh tumultuous um upheaval in their life or they may just have some minor changes they may be in Job searches so we try to imp Empower women we use an empowerment model to um help women uh on a path of self-sufficiency and stability whatever that may mean to them I know so many women that have been in a situation whatever it is and they're just distraught can't breathe I'm like call we can I tell everyone all the time call because you've got an incredible group of volunteers yeah we do uh the whole organization could not be run without our volunteers we have I wish I had the number but it's like maybe around the 500 Mark I'm not surprised yeah and it's all it's all volun I mean we do have uh 12 staff members um between the two offices but other than that it's all volunteers yes so hyanis is new yes and I think a lot of people don't know that it's available to them yes our hyenas office is open it's a beautiful um beautiful office it's on 127 Airport Road which is right across from where Barbie an's is was sad Landmark it's it's h right near the mall what's up David Kayla Emily thanks for joining us on the show Cara gerardi is here from we can and we're talking about all the things that we can does which is it's a lot it is it's overwhelming honestly when I started it took me like longer than it probably should have to be like what do we do here right I just to understand the gravity in the totality of it um I think the easiest way to talk about it is kind of under an umbrella of uh different topics so legal services financial empowerment services such as financial planning budgeting uh bankruptcy debt student loans um work support So women who are trying to change jobs work on their resumés networking uh LinkedIn accounts whatever that may be even interviewing skills uh business support so you know women who have uh their own businesses who are trying to grow that or even start them um and then uh personal development so we also do a lot of workshops um having to do with you know all things personal development and we have a mentoring program path makers that's run for nine months out of the year as well amazing yeah and these are all free to people free yep 100% free 100% confidential I think that that's one of the things that we don't do well as women is accept free help because we always feel like some something there's there's a catch there's a reason there's a something and abely yeah even when I took the job I think just you're always waiting for the other shoe to drop when something seems too good right and it hasn't that's awesome so maybe you could talk about your path a little bit because I think that that really is a good thing to see yeah yeah um so I'm 30 I know I looked 12 but uh and about to be married and about to be married yeah in a month that's exciting one month yeah it is what was the winter wedding what was the decision there well we've been together for uh eight and a half years and we've been engaged for two years and it just kept Seasons just kept happening and we kept planning dat and then it was just like you know what winter magical we love Christmas we're getting married at the Daniel Webster so it's just all gonna beute yeah Winter Wonderland so that is so cute once you decide and just go all in I like that though it's like sandwich Cape con very wintry like just a cute magical area yeah I'm digging that for you and we planned it in two months oh oh see that's nice I quit my wedding like five times I was like we're just not even gonna do this I can't he ended up planning all of it and we're still married 21 years later so we still like each other it's good it's fine wonderful that just was not my thing I was like I don't want to do this I don't like it if I had had to do this for more than two months I probably would have quit right I'm quitting some people are just like big up planners I'm just not one of those planners I get overwhelmed if it takes too long yeah over stimulated I do that I overthink my decisions like sometimes I just need to make a decision like sometimes you just need to call we can and yes this is perfect David for your stepdaughter to go regardless of whether she's starting a business whether she needs needs legal help buers she needs support wherever she is in her space of Life which I think is so important good morning Mari Chris Aaron and have a great day to you as well thanks for joining us on the show Cara gerardi is here to talk about some of the programs that we can has and what is the new business one so the no new business program is called uh own it and it's an accountability program so a lot of women go through um The Grow program which is it's kind of broken up into different Stepping Stones if you will okay um there could be like a pre-startup program uh cohort of women then a beginners then a more advanced so some women have gone through kind of that program as much and taken it several times and just feel that they've they've really grasped what they can get from that program but what happens inevitably at the end of you know sometimes we run grow for uh two months sometimes it's three but it's always six sessions um is that they fall off and they feel that the support is no longer there the idea to continue to get together even without the suppor of or not the support but just like me putting them together well we've talked about this on this show specifically and maybe you've not had a chance to but being an entrepr entrepreneur as you've been is lonely yes and you're out there going am I making the right decisions yeah and I'm alone it's hard to keep up with goals setting it's just it's hard to keep that motivation and it's hard to be your own cheerleader yeah um and be confident that what you're doing is right so consistent and consistent so so this onit program is hopefully just going to be ongoing but it's going to be piloted for a year so the women will meet once a month for a year and it it's all about goal setting and they it's structured so that it's you know there's a worksheet every month you submit your goals for this month there's long-term goals short-term goals and there's um uh six women in the group so um it's nice it's small it's nice it's intimate so really they can get the one-on-one help that they need y both in the group and then of course utilizing other services as well and then you've got this new group that is the accountability Group after grow yes so that's on it yep perfect y if you've had a glimmer of an idea of a business or maybe you just want to talk to somebody about it how do people get involved yeah uh so the best way to speak with us directly is uh to call our main line which is uh 508 430 8111 but during our business hours uh we always have volunteers and staff on the phones I mean of course sometimes can't get to everyone the moment but we're really good about it and returning calls um you know the day of and basically you would call and if you're new to us we would just kind kind of uh get basic information talk to you about what your situation is and what it is you may be looking for some people come to us they don't know what they're looking for but they know they need help uh so we help sort that out if it's a case that's a little more complex it may be something that um definitely a staff member would want to talk with you over the phone and then we'd try to set you up where it's appropriate that's part of our job is to as you know my job as program coordinator is to make sure that people are uh going to the best fit for them and not just things that are going to waste time or just kind of push problems down the road it's sectioning out what's most prevalent right now in your life and how can we meet that need and of course there are needs that we can't meet can't meet which is like you know we don't do housing we do resource out we don't have money really to give out to people um so we do resource out for a few things but other than that you know we try to do everything in house but sometimes you need directions and I think that that is a really good space to start where you are Amina we will definitely put the link to we can for the two programs that they've got for growing your business Lauren yes it is amazing Muska thank you so much for checking in we can is amazing we love you Muska that's awesome uh Lenor Marissa so many fabulous females on here uh just check in to say where do we do this put the phone in the chat we'll definitely get this to you Amina I promise because she's also a local business owner and she's in that space of needing to grow but not really knowing where to spend where to focus where to sometimes you just need directions to a place yeah yeah exactly and we're we don't turn people away I mean even if it's something that's like really outside the scope of what we know we research we just we brainstorm we have meetings together the program staff and just try and come up with options advice anything that we can do um your stuff is incredible by the way I know sunny and Lisa personally and I just like I think it's really just such a fabulous group of humans they they really are it's it's kind of ridiculous yeah I've never worked with a group of people that are just no it wasn't like that in the da no they're wonderful I just it was different it's totally different different all women together too but I yeah I love that you come from this background of working in a bank or working with acting students or working with uh you've got your Masters in what psychology or forensic psychology forensic psychology are you BS or not that's kind of cool though it but every I feel like every little piece of that makes you good at your job honestly I they kind of when I was being through the hiring process they were like you know we don't have anyone with this background you're like not many do no that's good that'd be scary but yeah it's a it was kind of an odd path I TR I mean you know growing up I did acting um my brother is was an actor um and I just was wow oh my God on the stage love that um but that really it it was fun but then you know as you get older and you go to college for it it's you know acting but it's also that quest for fulfillment like what is what what is my purpose what am I doing how am I going to take all of my life experience and and grow that for somebody else it's kind of cool it is yeah and with acting there's a lot of psychology behind it and that's really what I realized I was most drawn to was the psychology of it um and understanding um why people did what they did and what's your motivation what's your motivation tell me give me your motive what's your why I love this though it's good to talk about what's up Cindy Cindy is the hardest working woman in business that I know she's really out there throwing herself out and and trying to get that traction make her business a little bit stickier getting out there and and just trying new things and I think that is so important and I love your drive Cindy and things are going to shake up for you for sure what's up Christie hello Jenny Angie thank you so much for joining us on the show car gerardi is here talking all things we can and I think it's good to be here today and I'm glad that you kind of fell on this day of where everybody's kind of in their feelings about stuff and I think that it's important to just have a conversation about where you are today in your space and if you need assistance that there are people here for you yeah we I say to lot of women that call um the fact that you even picked up the phone today is is huge I mean I know personally when you're in those moments of just despair or hopelessness or just feeling like you know everything feels like it's against you it it's incredibly hard to pick yourself up and do anything that how do you deal with the emotions of that sometimes because it's got to be overwhelming yeah it is but I think with this job is the outcome that you can help these women get to that it's measurable it's you can see the steps and and it's it's not like I'm I'm sorry there's nothing I can do um it's okay let's take you into our arms let's build this bridge of community for you but I mean also a lot of it is my staff I mean we get a lot of difficult cases and and things we work on and but that's we actually have a meeting that we try and put together once a week or even every other week to just talk about the heaviness of some of the the stuff that we come across it's it's got to be overwhelming sometimes how do you create that balance of not taking that home with you I think it's all uh it starts at work it starts that when you're starting to feel that place that this is really affecting me personally in a way that I can't separate myself from it you have to start at work and and say hey um I need to step back and it's encouraged I think that we a lot of us that's never been a thing for I've never felt that so I'm just like tell me more about that what is that like I mean it's encouraged it's almost like they're angrier if you didn't take your space because you can't be fully present and helpful if you're and so it's it's kind of decompressing about it during work that's good though you've got a team of people that you can lean on yeah and we talk about self-care all the time you know I think it's a big thing in culture nowadays is talking about selfcare and and what that really means rather it's not just getting your nails done it's it's really I mean it's therapy it's uh having a good support system around it's being healthy and in what you do whatever that means for you yeah right well I've got someone on my staff and also she's one of my really close friends and they just started the center here in mashby for some total body wellness and stuff and uh she always she's like you can lean you know you don't have to lift all the time you can lean you know and it's nice to hear though I know I'm working on it I'm always like yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah right but it's nice to know that you've got those people in your space that can just say that to you and you you actually feel comfortable leaning yeah also like and then they don't you know if do I trust you right what what's your motive exactly what's it again all the time but they can hear you I mean sometimes you know we're in our offices but sometimes they can kind of hear your reactions to things and I mean I can't tell you how many times a day a little head Pops in you okay and I'm like yeah I'm good thank you yeah because I mean you've you get it all yeah and sometimes it's great and wonderful and so exciting and I'm sure you're high-fiving each other that somebody finally put that brick that made them get that walkway together and they're going and you're like yes and then sometimes it's heartbreaking it is I mean you can't help everybody and you know there I think there's you know some people that may come with um expectations that are bigger than what we can do and they come with history and background and we have to try and meet them where they're at I mean and even you know mental health is a big thing nowadays too people who are struggling and not getting the proper he with that too so trying to also be as um edu educated about that as well with Organization for sure another fabulous business lady Katarina sedron good morning hello Lauren hello and good morning some fact fabulous business ladies on here and I'm loving seeing this Jenny says a great organization what's up Sheila we're talking to Cara uh at we can and what if people want to get involved in volunteering what if they've got a skill because I think that that is something that you're always looking for oh yeah yes we are uh so Sunny Felman is our new um Outreach and volunteer she's just such a light oh her name it fits who she is 100% if you're like 5et away from her you just see her smile and her energy and you're like oh I'm good yeah and you feel like you've known her forever 100% yeah she's wonderful so she um would be the person that you would first want to contact but you can contact her um through her email all of our emails are our first names at we can center. that's nice that makes it easy yeah so Sunny is suu n n y um and she would uh give you kind of like a volunteer packet that you would fill out just to understand and kind of weed through what your interests are and some people have skills and they think well I have this skill so I should use it but I kind of would rather do so we're not just trying to utilize the skills that we're like no we need that and only that we want to see I'm sorry we want to see what what people it I don't care Cara get in out of I quit um we want to see what people want to do what what I mean part of the big part of volunteering is you know maybe some people didn't get to do things that filled them totally when they were having to be working or mothers or whatever they were do caregivers so now that this is their way of also fulfilling something giving purpose yeah so Sunny Felman yeah if you want to get involved and you're looking for a space to volunteer we're always looking for volunteers at lemon Ado but I mean they're not heavy lifting things we want you to come and have a good time like this is not supposed to be it's whatever you want I got to volunteer because I got to check that off of my to-do list because wherever in our brain I know all of us women have this fake to-do list that we have in our brain of things we should be doing yes overwhelming be good to yourself constantly running cdy she's breaking your desk she's not Ashley Trisha thank you so much for joining us on the show this morning so many things that we can does in our community and your volunteer base is so wonderful whether it's Law Services or um maybe you can talk about the things for for parents I know it's really difficult to be a mom and in this day and age just trying to keep a roof over your head and be a mum and keep good food in your body and do all the things that you're supposed to do to care for this human um you've got a lot of great resources yeah we do um you know just uh you know so just for our Legal Services just to touch upon that for a second um parents you know there's a lot of people who marriages don't end well or they just end uh so there's divorce and we help with any sort of family law um questions uh your rights kind of options custody child support um visitation grandparents rights uh we also so you know then for uh moms who you know it is hard to live on Cape Cod it is so hard and and things get messy and it's okay to be messy sometimes life is messy it is and um you know for the messiest person to the person who looks like they have it all together our I mean we have thei Financial Empowerment sessions where you can meet to talk about any sort of finances consolidating debt purchasing a home how best do you um manage all of this if you have a child who you know even has a disability and then you are uh working part-time and maybe you don't qualify for this or that I mean we try to you know figure you know splice all this out because uh a a normal person I say doesn't know this stuff though yeah I love that you did that because I think it's really important to understand that we're all just trying to do our very best every single day we really are I know and and on days like this today I'm glad that we're all here together Cheryl uh Muska there's an amazing Workshop coming up about divorce and mortgages that Shantel hay rice is heading up and uh she's saying she highly recommends it like these are conversations that are just tough to even have with yourself so it's really nice to see that you're putting this out there um and I really do suggest that you follow them on socials just in case some sort of Workshop or something cool pops up that you might be interested in yeah and we're really really good at continuing to be updated on our socials our website is always updated to have um what's upcoming and just to read more about um what the services really are like the one-on-one Services versus the workshops versus you know the longer running programs such as grow or the pathmakers program you know it it's confusing to know what's what but really um the one-on-one services are yearround and that's for all of the Legal Financial work support business support and um we're constantly doing workshops and updating that we have a flyer that goes around as well so I love that because we have um a a diverse population here on the cape and it's not just we do in your um your foreign language Services I think are really good to talk about because we we do have a lot of people here that struggle in that department abely absolutely we are trying to reach as many people on the cape for as many backgrounds as possible we um have two staff members that are bilingual and speak Spanish um we have a staff member who speaks Portuguese and then we use a serom translation service for any other language soing and we can do that for one-on-one Services we do it all the time we can set it up um and we can do it through Zoom um but we can do it in in person as well so um we don't consider language a barrier an issue as far as getting our services at all we just we want to help as many people as possible we want everyone to come here everyone needs help in some way everyone does I do yeah right do I'm like oh my God I need you for so many things and I'm considered to have it together okay yeah right we have people that call and just say I need a lot of help yeah and we go okay and then we've we can let's start one bite at a time thank you that's how you eat the elephant right exactly and that is exactly the conversation that you should be having is just take that one step make that one phone call reach out I think it's so incredibly important um my my father came here we we learned English together uh watching Hannah Barbara cartoons and uh we took the citizenship together uh the test I help him study for it like it was just it was one of those like moments in my life that I I saw the effects of people reaching out and being helpful so I think it's really important to know that those spaces are there and these services are available I I love everything that we can stands for and I you are an amazing group of women I'm pumped that you're here talking about this because we don't as women talk about things sometimes that are the ugly the messy the yucky we put on our brave face and we go into our day Fearless as we possibly can and sometimes it's just the weight of that on us is overwhelming yeah unfortunately we see a lot of Shame with women who come in and it's not wrong it's understandable that they feel this way but the the isolation that um a lot of women come in with and it's so easy to feel that this is happening to you and only you and you're a failure and there's shame involving you know when things don't work out or you know just involving anything and I I don't mean that that's not true for the male population right and and guys we understand and we watch thank you very much for watching David and Dan and some other our gentlemen on here yes because there are women in your life that might need these Services yeah and you could be a good director I do want to make something very clear our one-on-one services are available to men okay we don't say that enough but they are uh certainly we're we're here for an empowering women model but um we don't turn our backs on men who come in and need help they we have plenty of men who come in for one-on-one Services I love that yeah that's important yeah um but I forget what I was saying oh before that this is what happens when we get sidetracked and get excited about hearing things no but I mean when you're at your lowest point and the conversation that you're having so I I think it's just really important what else about we can can we talk about that you feel like doesn't get a light shined on it enough um I think that you know I I try to instill in women that come here especially for groups that this is not a temporary you know connection that we have with you this is a forever even if you moved away and came back we will always have that connection we're always just trying to build community and have women be able to build community within themselves so we run these groups I mean I'm running a a divorce support group right now I'm not teaching it but right as she's about to get married I'm I know my fiance's always like I'm taking notes when doing what are you doing tonight I was like I have my divorce support group and he's like can we get married first yeah I know but these I think that's a good education to marrying someone though it is there're conversations sometimes that you forget to have before you get married and all of a sudden you're married and you're like why did we never talk about that absolutely and a lot of women maybe don't know finances because they are just kind of like oh he might maybe that's more of an old school way but we do have a lot of women that are like I have no idea like I have no idea and and then they feel uh trapped and helpless because they had no sense or uh control over any of the finances because maybe they were stay-at-home moms or maybe they just were told it was being Tak care or maybe they abdicate because it stresses them out yeah right and understandably so and then I was like wait a minute what now I got to look at things no this is a conversation that I always have with them and it's not that I don't have the capability of doing it y I just don't do it because it stresses me out and that's also not a good place to be well unfortunately there's just you know we see women that never thought anything would happen and spouse dies and it's horrible but you know then they're left totally not only with this huge loss but they're just absolutely like an elderly couple or or not and they're just totally just and and we can help them yeah but it does feel like they're coming from a place of hopelessness but you know especially today there may be a lot of feelings of hopelessness but like you said when we started there are things we can do to help ourselves and just feel like we're not alone and just feel like some warmth I mean I can't tell you how many times I've gone to our services just as a staff member to kind of just be there and I'm just like like tears in my eyes yeah it's beautiful beautiful the things that come out the relationships so the divorce support group I was talking about oh yeah that back to that um these women are incredible they are they chat with each other they've been going to um hearings with each other to support each other at I mean it's it's beautiful well nobody else knows it as better as the person that's also in it in the fight in the Ridiculousness in the nasty part of your separation because inevitably it just sometimes gets really yucky and the court is a Scary Place coming from experience I mean Carrie used to work at the DA's office and then she left there and decided to run her own dog walking business so she's like I need to get something fuzzy on my lap right now no I'm kidding I'm kidding what's up CG how are you miss you you know with the DA's office that's actually how I found out about week can is because I would refer a lot of women that you know we kind of did the scope of what we could do at the DA's office it's just there wasn't it was very my job yeah um and we didn't have the the services to be able to you know do financial support and have free legal services for you know talking about restraining orders or divorces and you know all that stuff so um to be able to refer people um with was great and that's how I you know kind of the toughest things I was like I don't know I would refer them to we can and I got so many good responses from that that's amazing because you did refer and then now you're here working for the organization like right full circle moment for Cara it is yeah it's funny how life turns out like that I you know we can it it gives you a sense of not that you're not in the court system you're making a difference you are but there's a lot of bad news you have to tell um there's a lot of Injustice to begin with that's why you have a job I mean unfortunately job security is that there's crime yeah and so people are you know not sometimes people are coming to us on their worst days at we can um but at the court that was a constant and um and the for me it just got to the point I think where I felt like um it just my I felt so depleted um just because I felt like like I I was helping but it just wasn't every single day though you're dealing with like the people at their worst yeah and my helping was really there wasn't so much I I really could tangibly do um and I wasn't going to become a prosecutor yeah that is not the life for me thanks no thank you what's up Lauren how are you I've got Cara with us today from week can and we're just talking about kind of her move to week can and some of their Services which I think are just so incredible for every space that you're in and you're looking for help assistance Direction guidance yeah um and and I love the groups the small groups I think that that's really great because I I I feel like women we feel like we can do it alone or we've got this set group of friends and sometimes this friend group is not really good or helpful to us because they're like yeah you're right you should be miserable forever like me yeah right we do find ourselves in these spaces where we're looking for other people to bring us up yes bring us to the next level and I think that um I you hear it all the time you are the sum of the people that you surround yourself with yeah and it's really important to P push that needle it it is and I've even heard I hate using that word but very corporate push the needle push the needle all right so corporate yeah right where's my tie um yeah I in another thing that we hear from women is like my friend group just can't it's not their fault but they cannot understand what I'm going through right now they just don't have the same experiences and good that they're not in some circumstances but they just they feel like they're like I just can't say it again to my friend they they're trying but they're probably like I don't know what to say to you I can't relate to you and that way yeah yeah and there's always going to be women that can relate to you at weekend no matter what you're going through well that's it it's nice to have a community and I just want to remind everybody that there is a community of fabulous people waiting for you if that's what you need or what you need or maybe you don't know what you need and you're like yes girl help me yes come I want to mention that our hyenas office is open Tuesday through Friday um 9 to 4:30 and our um hardwich office is open Monday through Friday 9 to 4:30 and what if you're having a crisis right now and we're not in business hours well if you're having a crisis and it's after hours you can leave a message but if it's like a crisis 911 y' 911 and we have had that you know people do call us in and because they people don't think when they're in crisis you're in a panic right and I've had people that called and you know I needed to connect and and that's a thing I can connect them to who can help them there's services around here that can I can I I can literally do that I can get help which is really nice because sometimes you just don't know what to do yes and how to feel and you want and you want to call something or someone or an entity that feels safe and a lot of women um come to us maybe from a place where they did not feel safe and we kind of have to earn trust a little bit I mean you know trust is not just given it is earned and when you've been hurt or you know if maybe you've come from a country where things were totally different um and and you don't know you you don't want to get hurt again you are a bit um cautious and we understand that yeah um we hope that we can gain that trust and and let you know that we truly there's no you know there's no other motive that we have other than like we truly just want you to be and do your best I think that's hard for people to accept though because you're broken you're broken and you don't like what you've been burned exactly you're at your yeah you're like it's the cycle and some people are more comfortable in what they're what they know even if it's a cycle of that's called trauma yeah cycle of abuse sorry guys complex trauma ladies I we get it we really do understand and sometimes you have to get off of the wheel Adam H I love the post gives people a place to argue that was not my intention this morning with our question of the day is how are you feeling today I was just checking in everyone but it has become on fire how dare you ask me how I am right we can just be kind humans today I think that regardless if we've won we can talk about the questions a little bit because we've given this um uh Massachusetts has decided that yes we can audit yes you go right ahead and get your union if you want one and yes we're going to get rid of um the mcast um we weren't ready for mushrooms everybody I'm sorry we just weren't ready for him you only got the what three out of four I know right it was close but we're just not ready for that apparently maybe next time go get them everybody we might need them after this yeah really couldn't have given us that one thing to help with our trauma crying out loud the conspiracy of noise good morning we're very much looking forward to you playing over at the clam jam this is fun this is for everyone your admission to this show is a piece of beach trash we are saying goodbye to this season and uh this is going to be November 17th in the MHP Commons right where we have organized the mashpi farmers market it's been an incredible season we're getting ready for our Christmas Market but we've got one more party before that begins and that is the clam jam which we'll be hearing the conspiracy of noise and just be outside uh hopefully this weather continues to be nice so we can ride this little wave believe it I will take every ounce of it absolutely except for your winter cute wedding like we need to organize something adorable for that oh yeah right did you hear me make sure it's snowing that is H could you imagine I know probably enough I know I know what's up Kathy thanks for joining us we've got Cara gerardi here talking about we can and all the fabulousness that they have going on whether it's you need Law Services or maybe you need a group to grow your business I love that you're are full service for everything that we're going through because we're complicated yes that's our biggest thing that I think kind of sets us apart from other organizations and even you know when we're doing our business programs um there's great amazing business programs out there score eforall um you know CDP helps so much but with we can we try to be um holistic in the sense of we're you know a lot of women come to us and say okay well I have a business thing and then I I do you know make it very clear to everyone that you may come with one thing but we have all of this not pushing you but just know that it's all here and then once they kind of get their feet wet a little bit they're like actually yeah I do want to do this and this and this and this um so that's uh a huge thing that we're holistic because there's a lot to running a business when you're starting a small business there's so many things and I remember one of the things since I did the eforall program yeah and I did the first conversation that we had about finances I literally balded my eyes out I cry the whole time because of my relationship with money yes it's like it's scary well and you're taking a risk and I'm not a risky person like I'm I'm the one that like still has our like first communion money I'm not risky just in I don't like to gamble it makes me nervous oh my God I can't so that's very uncomfortable and I really I cried because it was like I I felt it was like so wasteful and it's not mine and I don't know what to do and I don't know how to feel about it and you have to take risks yes and I'm adverse to risk understandable I don't I'm in danger I don't like that feeling right your body's just trying to keep you safe seriously though and that's a part of business that you have to like decide what your availability for that is yes yeah and they are scary discussions yes but you know with we K luckily I mean we're very used to people crying so please come cry with us I don't know that's that's an incredible business model you're just like whatever it is that's pouring out of your body right now it's cool we'll handle it yeah clean up an Isle one we're gonna get this drama dealt with full service clean up absolutely that's I I don't know no I it's I'm not used to that I've come from a background of radio where we're all a bunch of jerks hey actors can be jerks you're right oh yeah that's that's definitely a toxic environment for sure it can it definitely can be we've seen it from the outside um so yeah that's definitely a transition for you too I'm sure yeah I mean just learning that there are I mean that people really are here to help you and do good and that you can feel feelings what yeah you're allowed to feel feelings they're validated and you know it's not always that like oh you need to see a therapist right I mean everyone probably should but um you know it's just that a lot of these things you know people think well business is business why would there be emotions involved are you kidding me because there people involved there are people as problems and also Life Is Life I mean you have there's 90 things going on in your life at one time and hopefully 85 of them are good but there's always going to be some things that are just gives you anxiety or off-kilter or trauma or loss I'm going to say that you plan to be here on purpose and we're going to take credit for having this conversation today yes all days very much planned to have this conversation because it's so important to be talking about yeah how you feel today uh regardless of where you're at in your space good morning Liz and hey Colleen Nancy Dei such a great group of humans on here today and uh Cindy you're still hanging on I love it and the conspiracy of noise we follow we can support lots of exclamation points you really do an amazing job in our community of getting the word out but I think we could do better um to remind people that you're there yeah we're always trying to do better we're always because in panic people don't think no they don't they don't and you know it's it's it's hard to know you hear a lot of things you hear oh this organization that organization that I mean we actually had a somebody come in the other day and say it takes somebody seven times of seeing something to like fully like process what they're seeing so you know thank you so much for having me on here because we just as many people as we can reach it's hard Outreach is hard y we try I mean and it's not that it's not going well but it's just not enough no because people go in their One Direction yeah every single day and we're more divide I mean look at how many TV services we have and trying to find what show and where it lives and how to find it and like this is the way we have now decided that we want everything on demand well the problem is when you get everything on demand the other stuff that is new gets kind of sidetracked what like there's too many options 100% yeah I would get overwhelmed too it really is aggressive right which is why you know we can if you do call us 508 430 8111 um we we have it all yeah and what we don't have it's like a a a hub of resources so everything on the cape that you may be looking for even if maybe you think oh they probably don't we probably know who does though that's so important because guys don't like asking for directions girls don't like asking for help these are these are stereotypes that are stereotypes for a reason and like just we still need to be better about it and I love having resources available and lists and places where I know that we can I can go and it's like oh I've got a phone number for you and a human's name yes right that's always helpful like when you're calling the unknown phone number asking for help and you're like I don't I don't know but if you have someone's name yeah I think that is wonderful that that's how you can reach everybody in your office by their first name and then it's at we can yes and on our website which is just we can center.org um there is a you know it's it's a really I think wellmade website I feel like it's very clear but there's a staff page so you can see all of us our names our backgrounds um and then there's also uh a resources tab that has all the resources that we give out and that could be I mean any I mean down to food uh it could be even you know baby Center stuff or um you know whatever it may be whatever you need yeah um obviously just nice to have a face a name it's it's building that trust yes because it is difficult to trust people when you're scared yeah it is it is um something else that is important is you know we're always doing evaluations we're always asking the public or the people that we try to serve what their needs are is there something that you feel would would be helpful to you that we're not offering is there a workshop uh that you you know we did one we've done several on like uh caregiving and you know the uh intricacies of that and it's becoming a big conversation because we have a housing issue because people are living in multigenerational homes it is a situation and because can't AFF it yeah I can't afford it you're living with me and get used to Your Rocker on the porch but when that doesn't happen anymore and somebody's sick now we've got problems yeah exactly and it it takes a toll I I think there's you know there's there's even a good portion of our staff that also are caregivers in one way or another and uh our community is aged here on Cape Cod and you're probably going to be caregiving for someone in your family it's just a fact right so we um whatever it may be you know I've had Moms come to me is there a way that we can put like a mom group together um and you know share contact information I had one woman come to me and ask about like um oh a mom's group where they could even you know try and figure out rides or like uh so many things I know Transportation also huge situation here on the cape and if you don't have a vehicle it's really difficult to survive here we our public transportation is getting better but it's not great no it's not it's really not Lauren is asking so small business finances CPA H&R Block any sort of things like this yes see there you go all the above call us yeah Lisa Diane thanks so much for joining us yes get ready for your day oh you got a pitch contest tonight good luck to you Cindy I will actually be at Cape space I think coming through so maybe I'll have a chance to watch that I think it's the the pitch competition that is happening over at Cape space today with eforall uh whatever it is that you need we've got a spider visitor now I'm like um yep it's Halloween in here I'm gonna be uh broadcasting live for my new offices soon so burn it down burn it all down sweet all right Cara and I have to go let everybody know how we can get a hold of you all right so uh if you want to get a hold of me directly the easiest way is by email um which is Cara C A wean center.org or you can call the main number and ask for me sometimes I answer the phone of the first one but if not they can transfer you again the main number 8111 and please come back anytime you've got new programs or you can just like zoom in and let us know with updates and stuff like that awesome because I would love to stay connected on all the things that we can has to offer thank you so much this was wonderful absolutely whatever it is if you're in your feelings today if you need somebody to talk to just reach out and call I'm happy to take that phone call text me please don't fight on my Facebook page I just if I have to take it away I will I'm just asking how you are today that is all wasn't loaded it wasn't a place to offer arguments be kind to people today please if you do nothing else today be kind to people all right thank you so much Cara and on the show tomorrow we'll be over live at Mash PTV Hank will be joining me Chris Ball will be there with a mash B update and everything that is going on in our town thank you so much for your time today and have a good one you're here you're talking I got to