Late nights, flying squirrels, and letting go

Building systems that let you breathe, the unexpected visitor in my home office, and why outsourcing might be the best creative decision you make.

November 13, 2025

Hi friends!

So…here’s a sentence I never thought I’d write:

I found a flying squirrel in my office this week.

Let me back up.

I had just gotten home from visiting a friend in Florida (if you follow me on Instagram, you know the vibes), and I was in my office late that night catching up on work. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. Something tiny, brown, and very cute popped its head out from a vase on the floor.

Cue panic. He saw me and quickly tucked himself back inside.

With a little help from Michael and a Swiffer, I trapped what I believed to be a chipmunk in the vase and released it outside.

The entire thing is on video, and naturally, I shared it with everyone I know.

And the plot twist? It wasn’t a chipmunk. It was a flying squirrel.

Which honestly makes the whole thing even better.

The funny thing is, I only saw it because I was working late. These days, I rarely go back into my office to do work late at night. I was only doing this because I needed to catch up on some emails after being off for three days visiting my friend.

Working late is something I used to do a lot more often when I first left Refinery29 and was just dipping my toes in the content creator space.

Being a creator is the best job, but it comes with a quiet trap: when your passion becomes your paycheck, it’s easy to feel like you need to hold onto every piece. Like letting go means losing control.

Turns out, that’s far from the truth.

Over the last few years, and especially this past year, I’ve built a team that lets me outsource without feeling a sense of sacrifice.

And the return hasn’t been just time back on the calendar.

It’s been creative space. Mental margin. Energy. Joy.

The more I’ve let go, the more I’ve gained.

More clarity. More ideas. More growth.

And speaking of more…keep scrolling for the good stuff.

On the topic of building a team, I have to highlight a recent episode of the podcast with my talent manager, Sam. We’ve worked together for almost eight years. Which is so crazy to think about.

Sam has truly helped me transform my business over the years, and I’m so grateful to have her on my team, and now, on the podcast too!

Our conversation takes you behind the scenes of the creator business world. We talk about what agents and managers actually do, how to know when you’re ready for representation, and what makes a working relationship actually work.

I even asked a few personal questions I’d never had the guts to ask until now, like how many clients she manages and how she pitches me to potential partners.

Here are just a few highlights:

On why she left agency life to become a manager: "I just didn't feel like I knew my clients well enough and I kind of felt like I was doing things for them without really understanding what they wanted. It was simply a bandwidth issue."

On balancing short-term revenue with long-term goals: "It's very easy to get caught up in the fast-paced brand deal business. It's a great business to be in, but if we aren't prioritizing the bigger goals, which oftentimes take a lot longer to see any type of monetization, there tends to be — at least from my perspective as a rep — blame placed on us for not advancing their business."

On how she pitches me to potential partners: "You’re a very unsuspecting talent. You could look at your content and without watching it, you think, 'Oh, she's a mom influencer. She's got two adorable kids. Like lives a nice life.' But once you dive into the content, you see a whole other side to you. There's something very comedic about the content that you put out and then obviously super investigative when it comes to the podcast."

On what she sees for my future: "I hope it's a show of your own with many, many producing credits on other shows. I hope it's more speaking opportunities, highlighting you in an expert way when it comes to digital content, and then of course putting out some kind of product because I think that's something you understand really well."

If you’re a creator yourself or just curious about the business side of it all, I know you’ll find this one interesting. Listen to the full episode on The Real Stuff podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch it on YouTube.

BE MY NEXT GUEST

A couple of times a month, instead of a celebrity guest, I’m handing the mic to YOU. I’m inviting members of my audience (anonymously if you’d prefer) to join the show and talk about ALL the real stuff: sex, money, mental health, and everything in between. If you’re ready for a deeply personal conversation on a public platform or have a wild life story to share, apply here.

WHAT YOU SAID

Last week I asked: If you could hit reset on one area of your life right now, what would it be?

Career took first place with 37%, health came in at 29%, and a solid 16% of you said you're content right where you are.

Here's what got me: I would have answered "career" a year ago. Not because I wanted to quit or do something completely different, but because I felt like I was running on empty and couldn't figure out how to stop without everything falling apart.

Now? I'd probably be in that 16% who feel content (or the 11% who want a new living situation, depending on whether or not there's a flying squirrel in my office on any given day). And the only reason I can say that is because I finally got the support I needed to find balance.

Turns out, there's real power in letting other people carry part of the weight. Doing the right amount of work and outsourcing the rest actually helps me do more — and do it better — than I ever could have on my own.

So if you picked career, health, or anything else, I just want you to know that hitting reset doesn't always have to mean starting over. Sometimes it just means changing how you're carrying the load.

ASK ME ANYTHING

Q: “How did you know you were done after having two children?”

A: Michael is one of two kids, and I’m one of three. He always thought he wanted only two, and I felt like I’d be happy with two or three. After we had our first, we were both shocked by just how much work it was to have one child! We knew we wanted at least one more, and after having a boy first and then a girl second, that sort of closed the deal for us. If I’d had two boys, maybe I would’ve considered trying for a third, but after having one of each, our family really felt complete.

Have a question for me? Reply and ask away!

LATEST FINDS

Use code LUCIE100 for $100 off

The Culumus Machine

Medina Cardigan

Alice Dress (and Baby Alice Romper)

Gold Script Mama Necklace

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

This week, we’re talking all about outsourcing and creating systems that work for you. So let's get real:

What's one thing you wish you could outsource in your life right now?

The results will appear immediately after you vote! Check next week's issue for the final numbers.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

From trapping wildlife to finding work-life balance, I hope this week's issue reminds you that having the right support makes all the difference. Thank you for spending your Thursday morning with me. I can’t wait to connect again next week!

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✨ Catch up anytime: read the latest posts and past issues in the archives.

💬 Talk to me: reply with ideas, questions, good news, or what you want more of— my team and I read every note!

Late nights, flying squirrels, and letting go

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