Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Pettey.
Hi Heather, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, I always considered Memphis to be a fun place to live but never dreamed it would one day be my home. Fast forward twenty years, and my husband and I were busy parenting teenagers along with our two younger children. I can remember feeling especially lonely following our move five years ago from a Mississippi town 4 hours away – even with the sweet faces of my family around! I was doing all the things in a new place, but I didn’t have a single name to put as the emergency contact found in back-to-school forms. It was a chaotic time, but I learned so much about myself and the women around me. It became clear as to who I am as a person, my faith became even stronger, and I learned just how important a strong community of women is to our overall health and the wellbeing of our families.
Today, we are happily settled in Memphis, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, but it took a minute. I want other women to understand that it’s normal to flounder sometimes, but it will get better, and the fastest way to acclimate is to serve others around you well. When you take the focus off yourself and direct your energies into making others’ lives better, then you will quickly become a part of the community and in turn be happier. I can’t imagine not knowing the wonderful people who make up the city that we now call home, and I give credit to the energy and support found in Memphis for directing me to my passion and purpose!
My obsession with podcasts started not long after our move. Our oldest daughter was studying at Ole Miss, and she had a friend come home with her for the weekend. Her friend was talking about podcasts, and I had heard of them, but I had no idea how to listen. Following her explanation, I quickly looked at my options and chose a pleasant-looking lady about my age on the cover art. I would listen to her as I unpacked boxes, folded laundry, transported children, and any other time that I felt isolated and alone. Her southern voice (from Texas) was soothing, and I soon felt like I had a friend beside me in my new and otherwise unfamiliar world. I began learning of other women around me who had also recently moved and had some of the same struggles. I then decided that I wanted to be the person that this podcaster had been to me, and if it helped just one woman, then it would be well worth the efforts.
I quickly invited my retired psychiatrist bestie to join me, and so it began. BFF Susan and I started out talking about all the fun adventures, and the life that we had when I lived in MS, we had interviews with some amazing women and concentrated on real life conversations. We also hosted live cocktail hours on Instagram, and we still do this together occasionally.
In the spring of 2021, Susan decided that podcasting was not for her, so I took over solo and have been hard at it since! It’s the most challenging and rewarding job I’ve ever had, besides being a mom, which is my favorite job of all! My podcast is titled LIFE COACH BFF SHOW. It’s all about “Finding Joy and Remaining Sane While Raising Teens!” I’m now entering my third trip around the sun with a thirteen-year-old, so I’m never at a loss for topics or guests to invite on the show. You will continue to hear from exceptional women, but I also allow time for listener questions and sprinkle in a quick and easy dinner recipe occasionally. The most exciting thing that has happened since the beginning is receiving an invitation to be interviewed on CNN’s The Weekend Express with Susan Hendricks. I am beyond excited and grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many women on that level!
The purpose of the podcast is to remind women that they are not alone. Parenting teens is an especially difficult season, and we all need to know that other women are having similar thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Women have never been lonelier than they are today, and many seem to be lacking in true, authentic relationships. We are comparing ourselves and our lives to what we see in social media and Pinterest, and that’s just not real life. I hope to show others that despite all the challenges, we can still successfully parent. Years ago ladies would gather forming quilting bees, cooking and canning fruits and vegetables, and sharing life and wisdom with each other. We no longer engage in these activities, for the most part, and the business of modern life along with our fear of being judged is robbing us of these important and crucial connections. That’s what LIFE COACH BFF SHOW and community are all about! I am hoping to help fill in some of the gaps.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have been so many struggles with technology, and my computer skills are decent. You can’t even imagine the struggles!!! I have a degree in Communication from Mississippi State University, but we didn’t learn the skills needed for a podcast in the early 90s! I just concentrate on that single person who will be encouraged and feel loved by the message that I’m putting out, and that propels me to move forward! I also want women to know that anything worth doing is going to be challenging at times. We all need to realize that WE CAN DO HARD THINGS!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In past years as a private-public relations consultant, I have concentrated on connecting companies and individuals with their communities. Branding myself and connecting with an audience has been an altogether new experience for me! I think what sets the LIFE COACH BFF SHOW apart from other podcasts is my target audience, moms of teens. I am most proud that my podcast has given me the ability to walk alongside women. No judgment on either side. We’re, in a weird sense, doing life together.
What are your plans for the future?
In the future, I will still be doing private consulting as well as coaching, but my focus is on helping moms and the BFF community. I have a heart for women, and I want to share what I’ve learned to hopefully make a difference. When I encourage women, it trickles down into their children’s lives, and that’s where it really gets exciting! It can change fate and make a positive impact on future generations, and that’s what lights me up everyday!
This month, I’m launching my new PARENTING TEENS with JOY community. It’s a 6-week live course where I help women establish a parenting plan, change their parenting mindset, and let go of old beliefs and patterns. More times than not, we as women lose ourselves in motherhood. At one time, someone asked me for my favorite color, and I couldn’t even tell them. I could communicate all 4 of our children’s favorites along with my husband’s (of 26 years), but I couldn’t think of mine. I now know it’s hot pink, but I hesitated at first. It’s time for all of us to remember who we are and get busy supporting each other – LET’S DO THIS!
Contact Info:
- Email: thebffs@lifecoachbff.com
- Website: https://www.lifecoachbff.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachbff/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weareyourbffs
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lifecoachbff
- Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3wgu8hh
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifecoachbff
