Ep 18: Let's Talk Entrepreneurship, Economic Development, and Mentorship with Sandy Dubay of PPR Strategies
Kick off season two with a conversation with literal ray of Sunshine, Sandy Dubay, the bright and shiny founder of PPR Strategies. We'll talk about the intricacies of running a business focused on economic development, workforce development, and tourism. Sandy shares her journey of building her company, the joys and challenges of managing a team, and the importance of mentorship and supporting younger generations. The episode is filled with personal anecdotes, tips for aspiring empty nest entrepreneurs, and inspiring stories about the dedication of those working in economic development. A must-listen for anyone interested in community growth, business development, and women empowering women.
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You can find Sandy and her awesome team at PPR Strategies.
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Christine Van Bloem: 0:22
Well, hey there and howdy do. All right, so we are back for season two and I just could not be more delighted to bring the awesome, the incredible, the bright and shiny Sandy Dubay on with me. Sandy, good morning.
Sandy Dubay: 0:41
morning.
Christine Van Bloem: 0:42
How are you?
Sandy Dubay: 0:43
I am great. I'm
Christine Van Bloem: 0:44
I wish you guys could see this because Sandy is a vision. I was just saying I look like a sea hag, right? Because I took two showers yesterday, which means I don't have to take another shower for like at least two days. And Sandy is like her hair's done and she's wearing this gorgeous bright pink and she has this kind of chartreuse behind her on one side and this gorgeous green on the other and she just looks like a vision.
Sandy Dubay: 1:12
Well, yesterday was hair wash day.
Christine Van Bloem: 1:14
Yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 1:14
trust me, like I know, I know, but I've got the headphones on so it's covered and, and we're good. But yeah, isn't it funny? It's so funny because I talk about hair wash day as it's like, it's a thing. It's this like milestone that happens twice a week, and that's it. No more, no more, generally no less, but yes, twice a week. Hair wash day.
Christine Van Bloem: 1:34
You're so good because with the hot weather like my hair basically You know may mid may hits and my hair just goes I'm out Like I'm gonna be a puffball on your head and it doesn't matter how talented The woman who cuts my hair is because she's incredible I I just give up like I just give up so I put some curl cream in and let it do its thing But all right, so we could talk about hair all day
Sandy Dubay: 2:01
I really could, but I don't think that's what the listeners want today. I mean, they might, but I don't think they do.
Christine Van Bloem: 2:06
Well, let me just tell you that I have the coolest listeners. I mean, all four of them are fantastic.
Sandy Dubay: 2:14
you've been saying all four for a little while, and I know that you are full of poo.
Christine Van Bloem: 2:19
Stop it. Stop it. So, it's, it is just the coolest thing we have. So many really fun ladies. Oh my gosh. I'm telling you, this is not a demographic to be ignored. Thank you very much. Ugh, mother truckers. All right, so, Sandy. I wanted to have Sandy on, not only because of her delightful and sparkling personality. And Sandy, you have got to be Truly one of the most positive people when you, I mean, everybody's got their ups and downs, right? I totally get that. But you really do radiate sunshine. And I think that is so great for what you do as business because you have your own business called PPR Strategies. Tell everybody what it is you do.
Sandy Dubay: 3:10
So PPR strategy stands for people and places reimagined and.
Christine Van Bloem: 3:15
Oh,
Sandy Dubay: 3:16
So we went through the rebrand back in 2023 and we had been platinum PR for 20
Christine Van Bloem: 3:25
time. Yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 3:26
it had been a minute. And that name didn't truly do us justice on the audience that we were serving. And we work with a And most of those places are in that economic development kind of business entrepreneurial assistance ecosystem, or tourism, or in that workforce development space trying to help people. Attract talent to help to create pilot programs. We're working on a program, an entrepreneur, an apprenticeship program for Frederick County Public Schools, a youth apprenticeship program. So like it, it stretches into all different areas, but yes, it's people and places reimagined. So anything in that economic development, workforce development, tourism space.
Christine Van Bloem: 4:08
I love that. I, that's so cool. All right, so first, how many people work at PPR Strategies?
Sandy Dubay: 4:16
There are seven of us plus an intern.
Christine Van Bloem: 4:19
Plus an intern! Ha
Sandy Dubay: 4:22
we almost always have at least one intern. Actually, oh my gosh, I'm, I'm mistaken. We have two interns. One of them is just working on a kind of a private fun project for me. And because she doesn't, she's just like one on one with me. I, I don't forget about her because I just met with her yesterday. But yeah, so there are seven of us plus two interns and it's great. She's actually working on a fun project. I'd love to talk about that also.
Christine Van Bloem: 4:47
Bless the interns, man. I, okay, so I have to tell you, my daughter, who is 25, Bless her heart. And she works her face off. She is managing the interns now. She just, she just had a shift, right? So she was an intern with the organization several years ago. And my daughter, I mean, she's a little like me, right? So she's like, she can be a little tough. And she's like, I'm trying to manage the interns! And I'm like, yeah. I know. And she wants to do a great job with him because interning has changed a lot since I did
Sandy Dubay: 5:26
Since we did it. Yes.
Christine Van Bloem: 5:28
did you do one?
Sandy Dubay: 5:29
I, it was called a co op at the time. So, but it was the same
Christine Van Bloem: 5:33
to school?
Sandy Dubay: 5:34
Shepard.
Christine Van Bloem: 5:35
Oh, okay. Oh,
Sandy Dubay: 5:36
College, now Shepard University. So, and that turned into my full time job. I worked in that same place after I had the, this co op experience. I worked there for four years. It was amazing. It was an economic development office in West Virginia. It was great. It helped to shape my career all from that experience. Yeah.
Christine Van Bloem: 5:54
good. Okay, do you know where I interned? You're gonna laugh. You're
Sandy Dubay: 5:58
I can't wait.
Christine Van Bloem: 5:58
I was, I was a telecommunications major, but not telecommunications the way that we have telecommunications now. It was, I was a TV production major, right, and a journalism minor. Thank you very much. And my internship was at PPE. NL, which is Pennsylvania Power and Light. I worked for the electric company and I took that, I know, they actually had a fantastic corporate communications division and I realized really quickly that I hated it because it didn't have enough life for me. You know, you're 21, you're a fetus, and it's, they were great, the people were great. I loved the people, but it was all, you know, old white men. And I was, you know,
Sandy Dubay: 6:50
Nod.
Christine Van Bloem: 6:51
like, ah, la la la la la, you know. And I, one of the reasons I chose it was because they didn't pay, because nobody paid back then, but they gave a 500 stipend at the end, and that helped me move to New York City.
Sandy Dubay: 7:08
Oh my goodness! Okay, so you had a goal and you worked towards it and you got what you needed to do.
Christine Van Bloem: 7:13
a plan. I had a
Sandy Dubay: 7:15
good. That's good. Yeah, my daughter also was an intern with the company she's working for now. She was a civil engineer in college and she's working for a construction company that she worked for two summers and did exactly the same thing. She does not have the same experience with interns now as your daughter does. She doesn't quite have the patience for it.
Christine Van Bloem: 7:37
Well, can you imagine? Can you imagine, first of all, I mean, being steps out of being an intern and then having to manage interns and these kids, I mean, I'm going to call them kids because this is the podcast for, I don't want to say the Seahags because that's just me, but you know, we get it. You know, it's hard. Managing people is not. Even if you have the greatest of the greats.
Sandy Dubay: 8:01
Yep. Yep, you're right.
Christine Van Bloem: 8:03
there's just stuff with it, but you do all sorts of cool, I, I, like, just love the stuff you do because I worked for an organization here in my town for 10 minutes, you know? It was actually 18 months and it was marvelous and they were incredible and they're all phenomenal, wonderful, talented, ridiculous people who I just admire so much. Bye. You do that kind of work like all the time. That's your thing. What's your favorite? What's your favorite project that you've worked on so far?
Sandy Dubay: 8:40
My last one or my next one? always so next week, I'm always like looking forward to the next thing. And I always love like when I'm in the moment and I'm doing the thing. Next week is probably my favorite and has been for years. I facilitate the Chesapeake basic economic development course. For the Maryland Economic Development Association, whoo. Okay, they're mouthfuls. I
Christine Van Bloem: 9:07
Break it down. Break it
Sandy Dubay: 9:08
just say? So it's there. It's a class. It's a five day class that is for individuals new to economic development and those individuals are Half of them are from Maryland and the other half are from all over the country Pre pandemic it was undoubtedly my favorite week because, you know, just connecting with people in person, in a room, helping them to connect the dots. I would bring in, we bring in speakers that are subject matter experts on all different topics related to economic development, real estate, finance, business attraction, retention, you know, neighborhood development, all sorts of areas, workforce development, all sorts of things. And they learn and they get this like intro kind of covering of what is economic development. What are you doing as a county or city? Or State Regional Economic Developer, or you're working for a utility company, you're working for the electric company, could be anything. So they get that week, and I love, I love helping people connect the dots. I love helping them to see what it is, but also have some fun with it. And so now, since the pandemic, we, this course is still taught online, and it's next, it starts on Monday. And we're the, actually, they're about. Two or three dozen of the equivalents across the country that teach this class, this you know, or have this arrangement to do this curriculum. And we are one of them. We're the only one that's online right now still. And I love it. We've got 80 people coming to Zoom. It's a lot! And I get to, like, meet all these new people and connect with them and, like, find something. And yeah. A couple of years ago, I connected people like during the pandemic that were, one person had a had a high schooler that was interested in fashion design and the other one had somebody that was like working in New York City in Manhattan designing costumes for the theater. And I was able to like say, Oh my gosh, John, did you know Sally? Did you know that you have this thing in common? And I love doing that. It's so much fun.
Christine Van Bloem: 11:15
I, I just think that's so cool. I think Zoom, like the, the pandemic obviously crushing. I'm so sorry I've got dinging out the wazoo. But I, it was so soul crushing. But also, it opened up such a new world, right? And it's like, I get to teach classes now to hundreds and hundreds of people, right? I just love it. I love it so much. And I cannot turn the ding off no matter what I do.
Sandy Dubay: 11:42
I'm not hearing the ding,
Christine Van Bloem: 11:43
oh that's good. Oh well that's good. Cause I am a ding dong right now. Thank you very much. So, I have to say, if you don't, if Anybody who's listening doesn't know, people that work in economic development are the hardest working people you are going to find and all you're ever going to see about them is probably something in your local newspaper that says they're not doing something right, but Being part of that world, even for a short time, I cannot tell you the dedication that these folks have. The dedication, the talent, that it's incredible. It is like I have never met so many people just so completely devoted to their towns or their counties or whatever they're doing.
Sandy Dubay: 12:35
Other people's success. You know, they are dedicated to helping you. If you, if you, for your listeners, if you are a business owner anywhere in the country and you don't already know your economic developer, Google economic development and insert your city or County or state and find them, create a relationship with them. They're generally, you know, small staffs unfortunately with budgets, but they. are there to help and 90 percent of the time just have a heart of gold and want to do anything that they can to help and connect to help your success because your success will help the entire community.
Christine Van Bloem: 13:15
Yeah. It's, I have to say, it was a world that I knew a little about, but the, you know, like the Chamber of Commerce even. And all of that, and I know we have a really special group where we live. I know that. But I know there are people all over. It's just, it's the coolest thing you don't know about.
Sandy Dubay: 13:34
Yeah.
Christine Van Bloem: 13:35
Right?
Sandy Dubay: 13:36
Yes. You don't know unless you know, and it shouldn't be the best kept secret in the community. You, they, you know, it, it's, it's really challenging to get out there and to tell that story.
Christine Van Bloem: 13:45
Yeah, because everybody wants to complain.
Sandy Dubay: 13:47
Yeah.
Christine Van Bloem: 13:48
Yeah. And everybody thinks, you know, they, their opinion matters more than everyone else's. All right. So I want to ask you a couple of questions. And Sandy's like,
Sandy Dubay: 14:02
I'm like, what about prep questions? Why am I not prepared for these
Christine Van Bloem: 14:07
Nope. These are easy questions. These are so easy. I want to know because you have owned your own business for a long time. Right? You've done this. You've been in the field. What's your favorite thing about owning your own business?
Sandy Dubay: 14:20
It sounds so cliche, but as I said in the last story, it really is the people. I get to meet so many amazing people. I've got. What did I say with interns? I can't do the math now. I've got, I've got seven plus two. So not there. There are 864 of us
Christine Van Bloem: 14:37
ha!
Sandy Dubay: 14:37
it's awesome. I love it. I mean, the team that I get to work with on a daily basis here at PPR Strategies is amazing. The, and then everybody has, everybody has their own little quirk and their own specialty and their own thing that makes them them, which I love. And then, you know, we all got the crazy clients and we've got the clients that drive us absolutely up the wall every single day, but we would, you know, take a bullet for them. And I've got some. It's so funny. I was thinking y the other day. I was on a call with Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, and they were one of my very first clients back in 2002. Before I officially started the company in 2001, I was pregnant with my daughter and I went into the president of the college's office. They were still the Community and Technical College of Shepherd. They were still affiliated with Shepherd College at the time. And I waddled my big pregnant butt into his office and said, you need to hire me and my, my new company that I just started today, my new company to do marketing. And he was like, Oh, Sandy, that's so sweet. No, thank you. I'm fine. So we then fast forward and we've been through like so many iterations with them. We worked with them for many years. We You know, they have grown absolutely like, you know, grown exponentially and have their own, I don't know, 20 to person marketing department. So totally outgrew us, which was the beautiful business model at the time. But they have come back to us in the last couple of years and said, Hey, can you work on this thing? We, this is what we need. We need PPR to do this thing. And I love maintaining those relationships and knowing, you know, Having that kind of longevity with individuals is really special. So,
Christine Van Bloem: 16:29
is. I mean, you're a people person. We're both people
Sandy Dubay: 16:32
yes, yes,
Christine Van Bloem: 16:33
We're people people.
Sandy Dubay: 16:34
people, people, people, people, people. We like the peoples.
Christine Van Bloem: 16:37
We do like the peoples. I love the peoples. I, I love it when I get to do like my roll call. I do a little roll call when I do my AARP classes because we have so many people in them. And I love it. Literally, I, you said cliche. I am a walking cliche, right? And I heard somebody say it's cliche for a reason. And I'm like, yeah, yeah, I know. So I'm like, okay, so look, I'm getting goosebumps now because The people will come on and I'm like, tell me where you're from. And they're all, they're just so awesome. You know, they're so great. And they're so much fun. And they're like the Bronx. And I'm like, I know that's Lisa from the Bronx. Right. And I just, I get all giddy about it, but now flip it around. What's the most challenging part of running your own business? Yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 17:31
I used to say the people also, but I found my own little gem and a woman here, a colleague, Sophie Smith works with me here and she's, we've recently promoted her to managing director. And so she gets to, yeah, so she gets to. She and I are very different, respect one another, but our skills are very different. And so she enjoys and thrives in doing the things that I was struggling with. And so that has been has been a blessing. The other thing that I gifted myself a few years ago for my birthday was a bookkeeper. So again, that was like the bane of my, birthday.
Christine Van Bloem: 18:12
ever!
Sandy Dubay: 18:13
Best present ever. So figuring out those details right now. My least favorite part of my job is scheduling a meeting with six other people.
Christine Van Bloem: 18:23
Yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 18:23
I can't do it. Like forget the whole, you know, all the online platforms. Oh my gosh, which I'm totally drawing a blank right on right the second that we use, but like trying to get six people together in person, forget about it, on a zoom meeting at one time. Oh my gosh. It's, I hate like pulling calendars together. I, I just, that level of deep jaw is made me crazy. So I know it's like the silliest little minute, you know, little thing. So
Christine Van Bloem: 18:53
no. Okay, so, no, it's the minutia, right? The minutia is what gets you. For me, it's the bookkeeping. I actually work with this wonderful woman not in bookkeeping. And She's doing all of this. We did all this planning together and now she's helping me with a new thing I'm launching on my website and she is launching a company called Wonder or a product called Wonder Metrics Her name is Cynthia Samanian, and I basically love her But not in a weird creepy stalker way. And her whole thing is like keeping track of your metrics and stuff for people People who don't want to keep track of their metrics. So I'm like, that's me! Say less! Take my money! So I'm, I'm thrilled about it because I'm with you. The minutiae and the bookkeeping. Hate that. But I am a huge supporter of that women, like once the kid leaves or the kids leave, right, you're in this place, you're in this funny, funny place where you have to pick a direction. Because if you don't pick a direction, right, that That not making a move is actually making a move sort of thing. So I feel like the kids leave and then you have to decide how you're going to embrace this. And you're looking at, I mean, 20 years, 30 years. I mean me another 70, 80 years, I'm
Sandy Dubay: 20:25
Yeah. Oh, no, I got 50 more in me. I'm 50, almost 51. I got another 50 in me. Yeah.
Christine Van Bloem: 20:32
Oh my gosh. It's, and it's like, yeah, for sure. But I think you kind of have to make, you have to make your move. You have to decide if you're gonna, and your move is your move. I'm not gonna judge anybody's move. If your move is, I'm gonna pull back and now I want to coast a little. I want to have an easy life. I want to, that is not me. I am like, let's suck the marrow out of this life, right? And. I think every Empty Nest woman should be doing like a side hustle or a business or, you know, don't turn into that woman who's sat behind a computer for 30 years and gets angry, right? Like do something and embrace it. So I'm always like, yeah, start that business. Do that thing. Those are so cute. Make some stickers. What would you say? To, to somebody who was our age and I'm a couple of years older than you. You'd be able to tell that if you could see us side by side right now, guys. Just so you know. My, yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 21:38
I'm just in denial and keep coloring my hair. That's it.
Christine Van Bloem: 21:41
No, it's all the bright pretty colors and everything too. But what would you say to someone? You're talking to a friend, you're talking to a colleague, and they're like, you know, I'm not sure what to do. How would you, how would you encourage or support them?
Sandy Dubay: 21:58
There are a couple of different things that come to mind. The first is that literally walking down the street in Frederick, I had a very brief conversation this morning with a friend. with this exact same topic. She said, I'm just stuck. And I'm, I'm not. And therefore, like, I want to pick a new path, but by not picking a path, I'm picking a path. Like, so I'm stuck, which was interesting. And I think that for me, what works is giving yourself permission to dream a little bit.
Christine Van Bloem: 22:30
Yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 22:31
I spent a lot of time. Just prior to the empty nest element and therefore subsequent divorce in that self reflection mode. And I realized at the time that I was not in a place that was best for me. And so I got out of it. And I got a divorce and I moved to Frederick and my daughter, you know, we took her to college and all like happening within the same month. And I simplify slightly, but all within, like, I stuck around for six months until she moved out and we moved out in the same month. And it was the biggest decision of my life. But I had spent time reflecting, putting myself in others, in new and different spaces, surrounding myself with people that supported me or my ideas. in whatever harebrained crazy idea it was. Everything from, you know, travel to expanding the business, to relocating the business, to taking on a new client. I mean, every, to take it on a new task. Every, everything is a risk. But I wanted to surround myself with a few key people. That supported it in whatever crazy thing it was that day. And that's what I've done.
Christine Van Bloem: 24:03
It's a big transition.
Sandy Dubay: 24:04
That's a big, it was a big transition. Yeah. Yeah. 2019 was a big year for me.
Christine Van Bloem: 24:08
you. Oh, and your timing on that. Holy bananas. But it's, I mean, it's so brave, and I know we throw the word brave around a lot now, but I don't think that can be understated. You know, that you changed your career, maintained, right. You were doing the same thing, so that's great. But you changed everything
Sandy Dubay: 24:31
changed everything else. Yes.
Christine Van Bloem: 24:34
you had that steady thing that you're so excellent at doing. You know, but it's a, it's a big change. Do you feel like you're a bigger thinker now? That you're a bigger dreamer now?
Sandy Dubay: 24:49
definitely. It's so funny because I honestly
Christine Van Bloem: 24:53
Me
Sandy Dubay: 24:54
We are our own, you know, biggest, worst enemy. And like biggest critic, I, I is probably more accurate. We own, you know, I am my own biggest critic often. And I would never define myself as creative, never.
Christine Van Bloem: 25:10
I would definitely say you are creative.
Sandy Dubay: 25:13
I lean in on that and my creativity comes out in different ways and I know how to embrace it. I know that, I also, I know my love languages. I know how I need to give and I know how I need to receive. And that was a really big deal for me.
Christine Van Bloem: 25:30
What are yours? What are your love languages?
Sandy Dubay: 25:33
Almost Equal Physical Touch and Words of Affirmation.
Christine Van Bloem: 25:37
Isn't that interesting?
Sandy Dubay: 25:39
Yeah. So I needed somebody to hold me, and somebody for me to hold, and I also needed somebody that was gonna tell me that I'm freakin awesome. Not every day, but enough.
Christine Van Bloem: 25:52
Oh, I think you're freaking
Sandy Dubay: 25:53
yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Christine Van Bloem: 25:56
But that's why I had you on. That's why I'm having you on. Would you, would you have, would you have done this five years ago?
Sandy Dubay: 26:05
Probably not. I would have, I would have put you off and put you off and put you out and said, she said, yeah, there are other people. Why don't I connect you with somebody else on the team? Why don't I connect you with a client? And I would hide behind a client to say, Oh no, no, no. I've got a client. That would be a really great person. You know, they've got things, they feel more comfortable in their own skin than I do. And I just, yeah, I just wasn't feeling comfortable in my own skin. I wasn't confident and I know people, I don't know, people give me that, that look, but I, I was faking it. And it it wasn't good for me. It wasn't good for those around me. It wasn't, it didn't help my team. And. So I needed to find the confidence from within. And so now I do, I walk taller. I still try to be humble, but my, one of my strengths, you know, I am a gallop strength finder kind of person too. And one of my strengths is positivity. So I do need to leave. So when you said that this morning that made me giggle. Cause yes, I'm, you know, I'm, Positive, I'm a maximizer, I want you to do what you're best at, and I need, I need to do what I'm best at. And so, surrounding myself with a team that, where we can all do that and lean in on our special powers is really important to me.
Christine Van Bloem: 27:21
So good. I'm all goose bumpy. I'm telling you. I am, I, I just, I get so thrilled. I really think that something happens and it's not as dramatic as a switch flip but I think that you kind of hit your 50s. You hit your early 50s. I gotta tell you, I'm gearing up. I am gearing up for my 60s, right? And I'm not even close. Like, I'm
Sandy Dubay: 27:48
woop! When
Christine Van Bloem: 27:49
When this, this is gonna air right after Labor Day. And that'll be like a week before my birthday. And I, I love a
Sandy Dubay: 27:57
wait a second!
Christine Van Bloem: 27:58
When's yours? When's
Sandy Dubay: 27:59
September 12th!
Christine Van Bloem: 28:01
I'M SEPTEMBER 13TH! GET OUTTA TOWN! That's so funny. And my StrengthsFinders thing. Because I did a round of woman to woman mentoring, which is a great group here in our area that has, you know, the older more experienced ladies mentoring the younger women who are anywhere from 18 to 35. It's incredible. I've only done one round. I had The best mentee who I just totally loved, but they do this Gallup Strength Finders. And if y'all have not done this, it's, I, you have to pay for it. I mean, it's a paid thing. It's worth it. It's worth it. And it's all of that, you know, all that stuff, but positivity was my number one thing. I'm, and I'm a futurist. I like to, yeah, I know. But let me tell you, my love languages, my main love language, Without question. And I don't love languages. I think they've all been discredited and stuff now. I don't care. Minus GIFs.
Sandy Dubay: 29:07
Oh, okay.
Christine Van Bloem: 29:08
totally gifts and I, I took this class this summer and yesterday I took a gift to all the people on my team. Like a little three dollar bottle of umami seasoning from Trader Joe's because that's like it, it can be my husband clipping zinnias out of the yard and putting you know, I mean a Rolex or something. I'm not gonna hate it.
Sandy Dubay: 29:32
If there's a shiny new car in the parking lot, then
Christine Van Bloem: 29:35
Huh. very much. But, no, not big gifts. I mean, I'm a simple gal, deep down, right? But, yeah, gifts. And I give gifts. And then people are all awkward because I've given them a gift.
Sandy Dubay: 29:48
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. If you give me a gift, I would, like, kind of freak out a little bit and not really know what to do with it, and then overthink, overthink, and just, like, want to give you a hug instead. Like, I don't know.
Christine Van Bloem: 29:58
When I worked at the partnership, I was like, cause the birthdays were July, August, August, and I was September. And I was like, gift for you, gift for you, personalized gifts. Like, cause that's my language. Right. And you could tell they were all like, I feel more uncomfortable, which was so funny because I was just like, This is how I love you. You know, which is, mm hmm. All right. So what's something cool? I don't, we are going to have to go to
Sandy Dubay: 30:30
I I
Christine Van Bloem: 30:33
to drinks. So do you cook at all?
Sandy Dubay: 30:37
I No.
Christine Van Bloem: 30:39
I, I,
Sandy Dubay: 30:40
I, I, no, no, I really don't. I have a boyfriend that cooks and I taught a daughter to bake. Well, I didn't teach my daughter to bake, I empowered my daughter to bake.
Christine Van Bloem: 30:51
Can I tell you, I totally had a vibe that cooking was just not for you. Just not for you.
Sandy Dubay: 30:56
Do you, do you, I'm sure you don't remember, so my daughter and I took a sushi making class years ago
Christine Van Bloem: 31:05
my gosh, that was my most popular class.
Sandy Dubay: 31:07
still do it several times a year. It's one of our favorite activities. We, you know, we'll do it all the time. It all stemmed from your class.
Christine Van Bloem: 31:16
Ah, that gives me such joy. That gives me such joy. I miss, I miss that, but I do love what I'm doing. I do love what I'm doing now. Alright, so it's a Tuesday. What are you, what are you doing for dinner?
Sandy Dubay: 31:29
Texting my boyfriend to ask him let's see if I'm, if I'm with my boyfriend, I am texting him to say, honey, what's for dinner? What are you making us for dinner? And he's most likely, if he hasn't been totally overwhelmed with work, if he's thought about it, he's, you know, got salmon and a salad or something like that, if I'm doing it myself,
Christine Van Bloem: 31:49
Yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 31:50
it's a different story.
Christine Van Bloem: 31:52
Be honest. Are you, I mean, listen, there is no shame here.
Sandy Dubay: 31:57
Old Town Tavern in Frederick has Burger Tuesday night, they're like 350 burgers.
Christine Van Bloem: 32:05
To, I've never
Sandy Dubay: 32:05
Really? Oh
Christine Van Bloem: 32:07
I, and I live literally two blocks
Sandy Dubay: 32:11
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm 99 percent sure it's Tuesdays. I don't know why I'm second guessing. I think because it's, it's, Tuesdays are supposed to be taco Tuesdays and so I make fun of all the time. I'm like, why is it burger Tuesdays? I
Christine Van Bloem: 32:21
Yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 32:22
But yes, they're like 3. 50. I think you pay an extra quarter and you get cheese, but I don't eat the cheese. So it's good. It's good. You can upgrade like another 1. 50 if you want the onion rings, which are really good. But yeah, that's, that's
Christine Van Bloem: 32:35
I love an onion
Sandy Dubay: 32:36
yeah, I do love an onion ring. So I am, I am not the the best at taking care of myself in the kitchen.
Christine Van Bloem: 32:45
Well, what a wonderful treat that you have someone who does.
Sandy Dubay: 32:49
I do. Yes.
Christine Van Bloem: 32:50
You know, I, I think that's, I think that's fantastic. I love that.
Sandy Dubay: 32:55
Yeah. That's
Christine Van Bloem: 32:56
Amazing. Amazing. You still, you're gonna have to do one of my classes though. You can do it with your boyfriend
Sandy Dubay: 33:04
cool. Okay. Yes.
Christine Van Bloem: 33:06
they're, I'm telling you, it's, I don't know, it's super fun. They're super fun. Look at me toot my own horn. Toot toot.
Sandy Dubay: 33:14
Good, as you should.
Christine Van Bloem: 33:16
toot toot. So, so I just thought, I really, you, you really have this vibe and I'll just say vibe and leave it at that and then people can think terrible things about you. No, you have this wonderful, and I think I said before, sunshiny kind of thing about you. Which is, I think sometimes women hit this age and they can get a little mean. I think there's a lot of angst. I think I've had a lot of angst. And I love to be, I'm trying to surround myself with people who are, you know, lovin Their life and what they're doing and embracing all of that. And I think what, what did they say? You are the product of the five people you hang out with the most.
Sandy Dubay: 34:15
yeah,
Christine Van Bloem: 34:16
And that is really, and I'm like, well, now that's kind of my husband and my plants. That's not great.
Sandy Dubay: 34:24
no, but it's so interesting because I think that and I thank you. Thank you. That's very kind. I I appreciate you say no, but. Nah, no, but I I've always said I'm kind of an acquired taste. I'm a little quirky. And Yeah, it is what it is. But
Christine Van Bloem: 34:42
Same girl, same.
Sandy Dubay: 34:43
so but I I truly appreciate how you have created and how you are sharing who you are. This true version of self is coming through on your social, on your, you know, on Instagram, which is where I see you mostly, if not on the streets, but you know, mostly on Instagram and in this podcast. And I think it's, it's beautiful to have watched this transition of you. And we didn't even talk about, I don't know if you remember, but when you were with Loving Company, I was at the Frederick County Office of Economic Development.
Christine Van Bloem: 35:17
I've tried to block it
Sandy Dubay: 35:18
Okay, well, well, but like we have our paths have crossed
Christine Van Bloem: 35:22
Yes! Oh,
Sandy Dubay: 35:23
25 to 30 years in different capacity and it's when you were in, you know, your last full time gig was probably the most we started to see each other and now in this role. And it's been, it's been beautiful watching you and your transformation. And I truly applaud you for taking that leap and doing this and inviting other women into your space to hear their stories and help them to share with others.
Christine Van Bloem: 35:52
Oh, thank you so much. Gosh, now I got goosebumps again. Gosh darn it. I just, I just feel like, you know, the whole women supporting women thing. Is, it's so important. Because of the invisibility thing that happens and You know, I think women lose their own value to themselves sometimes and I just think there's so many incredible, incredible people out there. I just feel so fortunate and so blessed. Excited that I'm a loudmouth and, you know, all you have to do is buy a microphone and a cheap pair of headphones And you are good to go. Thank you very much. But I just it's so much fun It's if we're not gonna have fun Sandy at this point, then why are we even wasting our time? You you know what? I mean?
Sandy Dubay: 36:51
100 percent agree. Every single day in most situations, try to find the joy in it. And yeah, it's not something everybody can do easily, but. It's if we, if you're aware yesterday I had to vent to a colleague and said, Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I need to vent to you for a second, but I need you to just let me say it. I don't want you to carry it. I don't want you to hold it. And she said, I'm not, I don't.
Christine Van Bloem: 37:27
That's, that's some good therapy
Sandy Dubay: 37:28
it
Christine Van Bloem: 37:29
right there,
Sandy Dubay: 37:29
a, it was a beautiful conversation. And it, I really appreciated how she. gave me what I needed, but I wasn't dumping onto her. She wasn't letting, she was just there for me. It was beautiful.
Christine Van Bloem: 37:42
Oh, that's so, yeah, see, that's cool stuff. That's cool stuff. I don't know, we're lucky gals, aren't we?
Sandy Dubay: 37:49
Yeah, we really
Christine Van Bloem: 37:50
I think part of the deal, I think our responsibility is to help kind of share that lucky gal vibe. Right? Don't you
Sandy Dubay: 38:02
Yeah. Yeah. Well, and to not just share it with our children, but to share it with other, you know, young women that we encounter or other, you know, younger humans that,
Christine Van Bloem: 38:13
Do you have a close relationship with your daughter? Yeah. Yeah.
Sandy Dubay: 38:19
very, I have a very close relationship with my daughter. It's, I'm very fortunate. And I laugh because she will never listen to this. So I'm covered there, so I could say anything. But she is, yes, I'm very fortunate.
Christine Van Bloem: 38:36
Yeah. I I was going to make a joke about how my daughter and I don't even speak to each other, but we are, we are so close. We are, it, it is, I was super close to my mom, and my daughter and I are super close to each other, and I love that, you know, her friends, Like, they will still come here because they love the town we live in so much, right? So they'll use our house for 4th of July or, you know, whatever. We end up with all sorts of people and it's, you know, one has come to me and again, they'll never listen to this, but come to me and ask me for business advice and she started her own thing and she's Incredible. She's, she's gonna be the first millionaire in the group. Like, no question. She's gotta figure it out, but she just plows. She is, like, hard worker just figuring it out. And then another one comes over and I love it. I love that they know this is a place and, you know, I'll say, it's a good thing you're not with that boyfriend anymore. He did not deserve you. You are fantastic. And they're, you know, because your mom will say something to you. And that's like, well, you're my mom. Duh. But somebody else is like, oh, he is not worth a time of day. It's kind of like, yeah, I hear, I hear that. I, I think supporting this younger generation of women is so vital and I just, I don't know, I love it. What's the youngest not intern that works for you?
Sandy Dubay: 40:13
geez. I think
Christine Van Bloem: 40:14
And you can group it. You can say like early 20s or mid 20s.
Sandy Dubay: 40:19
early twenties. Early twenties. Yes. Yeah. When they this next, yes. Actually I have a, you know, my youngest is yes. Early twenties. Younger than my daughter. When they're, when they start coming in younger than my daughter. Oh
Christine Van Bloem: 40:34
know! That's a thing! That's such a thing. That's such a thing. I love it. I love it. Sandy, you're fantastic, and oh,
Sandy Dubay: 40:45
so fun. We could literally, literally, I was looking at the clock. I was like, oh my gosh.
Christine Van Bloem: 40:49
I know. I'm always like, okay, I'm gonna aim for about 30 minutes. Not, like, never. I can't even talk to myself for 30 minutes, right? I'm like, ugh. Ugh. I've just, come on, and on, and on. I'm telling you, microphone, microphone. Best and worst thing ever in my life. I love it. I just like, I like to plug it in sometimes and just have it here.
Sandy Dubay: 41:10
I'd like to know how many listeners listen at one and a half speed like I do. I listen to everything at one and a half speed. You get in my car and you're like, Sandy, what the hell? Are you on drugs or something? What are you doing? I'm like, no, no, no. That's how we listen to things. That's how we talk. It's all good.
Christine Van Bloem: 41:24
makes a lot of sense with you, Sandy. That makes a lot. I mean, that, I'm like, yes, of course. That is absolutely how that's going. I totally get it. So thank you. Thanks for taking the time to do this. You are so fantastic. What's the website address if anybody wants to check out what you do for a living?
Sandy Dubay: 41:45
PPRstrategies. com
Christine Van Bloem: 41:48
Do you remember when SNL did a thing when dot com was just starting? Because that was, what, a thousand years ago. And they would, like, say something and then they'd go, Dot com! At the end of it, all the time.
Sandy Dubay: 42:00
do we need to do that?
Christine Van Bloem: 42:02
yeah, yeah. Dot com!
Sandy Dubay: 42:04
Okay, yeah, yeah.
Christine Van Bloem: 42:05
I do it in my head all the time. People think I'm ridiculous.
Sandy Dubay: 42:09
I see that the Jane Polly with when they're like, what's this
Christine Van Bloem: 42:12
Bryant
Sandy Dubay: 42:13
A with the, Brian Gumbel, A with the circle around it or whatever. That's so funny.
Christine Van Bloem: 42:18
The world is changing, friends. So
Sandy Dubay: 42:21
I have to know, did you eat popovers when you were in Maine?
Christine Van Bloem: 42:25
I didn't, but I made popovers immediately after.
Sandy Dubay: 42:28
seeing me when I was like,
Christine Van Bloem: 42:30
When you sent me something, we were going to try to get there. We just couldn't quite, they were in New
Sandy Dubay: 42:35
Hampshire. It was in
Christine Van Bloem: 42:36
And we were going to do it coming back. And then I was like, I cannot eat another,
Sandy Dubay: 42:42
Another thing. Yeah.
Christine Van Bloem: 42:44
But after you messaged me about popovers, I, cause I have a popover pan because of course I do.
Sandy Dubay: 42:52
I have a popover pan, but it's just for my It's for Tabitha to make me popovers.
Christine Van Bloem: 42:57
That's it. You can make a popover. A popover's easy, but a popover is so dang good, man. It's so good. And it's a really basic batter. Eggs, flour, milk, maybe a little salt.
Sandy Dubay: 43:13
And more egg. Yeah. I
Christine Van Bloem: 43:15
You get, popovers pop because eggs are a leavener. And Sandy's like, I'm gonna glass over and tell my boyfriend about
Sandy Dubay: 43:24
I don't know.
Christine Van Bloem: 43:24
Are we over? Popovers pop because eggs are a leavener. Eggs make things rise. And then the shape of the pan is almost conical with a flat bottom. You get the pan really hot. It's kind of like a, a version of a Dutch baby. Have you ever had a Dutch baby? Okay, I make them all the time because they're fantastic and I love them. But the popover gets you need a really hot oven and you can't peek. That, right, if you
Sandy Dubay: 43:53
Well, okay. So here's the real question. So my father is truly the popover master in our, in our
Christine Van Bloem: 43:58
I love
Sandy Dubay: 43:58
Like he is amazing. Okay. So a little debate that we have every time I say, dad, I'm coming over for breakfast. Can I have popovers? He is, well, you can, but you cannot walk in the kitchen. So there there's no movement in the house while the popovers are baking.
Christine Van Bloem: 44:16
I think dad's just trying to keep you at arm's length just so
Sandy Dubay: 44:21
They've all Googled it. There are all these like old wives tales about, you know, the motion and the movement and all this stuff. It's hysterical.
Christine Van Bloem: 44:27
Yeah. Well, now I'm going to go do jumping jacks in my kitchen and make some popovers,
Sandy Dubay: 44:31
Good.
Christine Van Bloem: 44:33
that, I think your dad is just, I think, you know, I don't know. You might want to check him out.
Sandy Dubay: 44:39
Oh my
Christine Van Bloem: 44:39
All right. PPR strategies. Look, we're, we're like, okay, we're putting our serious faces on.
Sandy Dubay: 44:45
it. Bye.
Christine Van Bloem: 44:46
strategies. PPR strategies. dot com, right? And Sandy, thank you for being a ray of sunshine and sharing some of your wisdom with our lovely Empty Nest ladies. Thanks. I really appreciate it.
