Hi, guys, and welcome back to another episode of Life Uncut. I'm Laura and I'm Brittany.
Hi Brittany, how are you? Laura?
Bloody?
Great, babe? How are you? I'm great?
But why didn't you just jump on in and tell the guys what we've got coming up today? We have a very special episode. And I know I say that every week, but this one is extra jazzy. I actually love that you say that everywhere extra jazzy. We have a guest coming on today. Her name is Karina Irby and she is a social media Instagram sensation. She's also an incredible boss woman. She started her own company, She's an entrepreneur, and she is going to be talking us
through her life and all of the things. She's also just a great, bloody person. Isn't she a legend to speak to? Yeah, it's an amazing chat. So we do have that coming up. But before we get into that, what's been happening Laura? What have you done this week?
I saw some friends. It was really nice.
Other than me, I believe it or not, Bernie, there are other people in my life.
Not many, but there are.
I actually don't don't believe that this cloud of isolation is lifted. I saw some girlfriends. I went for some nice coastal walks with them. We had a barbecue, of course, we like had a very small barbecue. Don't worry, guys, but within limits, within we stuck to all of the parameters. But it just really felt so nice to have this feeling of normalcy. And then also it was such a beautiful sunny weekend here in Bondai. So yeah, I had such a nice weekend.
I knew well.
I tried to go out to dinner with some friends and I was like, you know what, we need to just get together and do something.
We tried to go out.
I can't tell you how many restaurants we call to try and get in, and it's just nuts. I think there must just be cues of months for people because they're still taking limited seats. It was only ten people, so everywhere it's just there's waiting lists.
We ended up just having a really nice night. We stayed in.
So I haven't felt what you felt yet about being back out a normal well.
I didn't go out anywhere. I just had people around my house. It was that's what I did.
They came to my house, so we did the same thing, then okay, okay, But I think like when feeling like you're going out and doing stuff when you're a mum is just literally having a couple of people over to your house and you're like, oh my god, this is wild.
But do you know what we did.
We were very different points in our life. We all dressed up like we dressed up like we were going out because.
I think we all needed to pick me up.
You know, when you're slobbing around for months in your active web on, you don't brush your hair, you say months, that's been the last eleven months of my life.
It's pretty cute.
We put on we all like literally we fake ten do We put makeup on when my friends came over, like looking saucy af knee high boots and we're like.
Ready to go out.
And then we just sat in my land room, had wines or to take away, had ice cream, and we actually had the best no I've had in a long time.
So there was a lot of effort that went into that.
You lost me at knee high boots were pants on when my friends came around.
It was great.
Well, guys, before we get into the actual episode, we just wanted to touch on a couple of things that have been happening, one of them being that we put a photo up on our Instagram page of Courtney Kardashian and I'm sure that most of you know of or have seen that photo. And if you haven't, go have
a look at Life Uncut podcast. Now, there's this photo that Kney Kardashian put up recently and it has been extremely digitally altered, so she's photoshopped the photo and it's caused a lot of conversation around one Is it okay to photoshop too? Can you call someone out for photoshopping? And what is okay? I mean, we see everybody in the public eye everyone uses photoshop. We almost can't deny that. Now, it's so rare to have somebody that doesn't. But the Kardashians are very well known for it.
It's almost strange to watch.
They'll put a photo out that's photoshopped and people will call them on it, and they don't even get embarrassed. They're just like laugh at it, and it's like so normal to them that they're like, oh, like, I'll just delete it and put another on them. I think that the Kardashians especially this photo of Courtney. I actually think that they put out heavily doctored images, like heavily photoshopped images, with the intention of creating conversation. Because look, we have a podcast, we're.
Talking about it right now.
The image that we're specifically talking about today, it's a it's a self looks like a selfie, but Courtney looks like a completely different person in it. Her She's obviously used face tuned to change the shape of her jaw, She's changed the shape of her nose, she's changed the shape of her eyes.
And it's not.
About whether or not we think that plastic surgery is okay or whether we think that phyllis is okay. This conversation is specifically about whether or not we think doctoring images on social media is okay. And I honestly think that they do this with the intention to cause this sort of conversation and to create traffic to go to their Instagram, for people to look at that photo, and
it drives their numbers up. It's tactical, it's strategic. We have said before absolutely have nothing against injectibles, cosmetic surgery, or whatever you want to do. We are actually we're here for if it's gonna make you feel and it's
something you want to change, your body's your body. The only thing we want to talk about now is the fact that people like this with one hundred two hundred million followers, they're so influential to today's youth, and they're putting out this idea that every day you wake up in the morning, you're cooking breakfast and you're looking immaculate, you are looking absolutely perfect. And that's our newer generation coming through thinking that they have to maintain these standards.
And then before we know it, every single Joe Blow is photoshopping every single photo on a daily basis.
It's not even like it used to be.
Laura with magazines that used to photoshop for editorials that we almost let slip because we're like, oh, it's a high end editorial. We let them do what they have to do. But now it's like Laura and I were talking this morning, and Laura's saying, it's every sixteen year old that's altering their photos because we think that we have to maintain this certain level. And the thing that caused so much uproar with this one particular photo, if you haven't seen it, go and have a look. I
actually love Chloe Kardashian. I think she's funny. I think she's a boss business lady. But she photoshopped at the photo to the point that her necklace half a necklace had been like photoshopped out of the picture, that is
how heavily it had been photoshopped. I just don't think it's setting a good example of well, I think just what you touched on in regards to how it used to be only magazines that would photoshop images, and we all recognize and there was big conversations around it ten years ago, how damaging it was that magazines would photoshop
these images of models. Now it's accessible to everyone. Everyone can use phase tune, and everyone can make structural changes to their face very very easily with a little swipe of their finger. And I think what that does is it commodifies on people's insecurities. It says, if you don't like this thing about yourself that's not perfect in quotation marks,
then you can change that. And I think that, you know, instead of saying and liberating that everyone is beautiful in all of their many diverse differences, it sets this one precedent and it's like this is what's normal, this is what's beautiful, and you will have to fit this mold.
And I think that that is what's really damaging. I genuinely think people who have a huge social media following, people who are in the public eye, people who are role models, have a heightened responsibility to be inclusive and to set a good example. And you know, I know that the Kardashians cop a massive flak, but their brand is based on a certain image. That conversation always comes back down to photoshopping and filtering and whether or not
it's acceptable. It's such an interesting conversation that kind of leads us into our guests for today. But before we introduce Karina, we just want to do a little bit of Accidentally Unfiltered because we love it, because it's my favorite part of the episode. And also that was really heavy and I think we need to like lighten it up a bit.
Oh absolutely, So what have you got from me today?
All right, guys, so you know that I Accidentally Unfiltered is you write in your most embarrassing stories and we read them out for everybody to laugh at you, mainly as honestly, we get such good feedback from this section of the podcast, like, I love this. This is my absolute favorite. So guys, thanks for the lolls.
What do we say? Loll shoot me in the face. I have just rubbed off on you.
Disgusting. I love that for me, I hate myself. Okay, here we go. So this one came in the other week from one of our listeners, and I freaking love this. It's like it's wholesome. It's wholesome, but it's great. Actually, the wholesome ones are the best ones. I went over to this guy's house I had been talking to for a while. He lives with his parents, and I went over there pretty late, so his parents were in bed and I never met or saw them. We stayed downstairs
on the lounge and we watched a movie. I had every intention of going home that night until I.
Woke up There. We all do.
Until I woke up at six am with the lights streaming through the windows. Yeah, we've all been there. I realized I had fallen asleep, and then the guy had just left me on the lounge and he'd gone to bed. I was stressing big time. What if his parents come downstairs and there's just a stranger sleeping on the couch She's like, Okay, what if I go upstairs and try and find his bedroom.
No, that's a terrible idea.
What if I opened the wrong door and it turns out to be his parents' room. So I just decided I was going to bail as quietly as possible. I gather my things, I opened the front door. Then the fucking.
House alarm starts blaring at six am in the morning. I just ran.
I ran in shock to my car and I could see his parents behind me, running down the stairs and their pajamas. I got in the car and I gunned it down the street, only to realize he lived in a culder sack.
So she had to turn around.
So I had to do a three point turn and then awkwardly drive back past his house, where the alarm was still blaring and his parents were out the front now screaming at my car.
They definitely thought I was robbing them. Anyway.
I ended up dating the guy for a few months, so it was pretty awkward. The next time I met his parents.
I have some new questions.
I pictured the the parents running down the street with like baseball bats in there pajama's like, but also, if you have someone to your house and you know that your house has an alarm.
I feel like it's something you need to talk about. Water set up? What an absolute sit? Yeah? Yeah that was? You got done? All right? Have you got me an accidently unfiltered?
Yeah?
You want another one? I want another one.
I actually have a really wholesome one as well. What happened to all the sex and the farting and the vomiting and the bath tid? I think we had to take a break, fellow, Yeah, I think so too. This one is so cute because it made me. It took me back to my childhood. Okay, stay with me. This morning, this literally came in last night. I'm going to tell you, Laura, this came in last night at five pm yesterday, and it happened yesterday.
I love that people.
Have embarrassing shit that happens to them, and straight away the first thing they think is, oh, I'm going a message that to life on cart They will love this. Okay, ready, So this morning I meant to send a photo of my worm in medicine to my mum, asking.
If it's the right brand.
Yes, I'm twenty six and this is my life. What a moment in time guys. I sent it to the guy I'm seeing by accident. I literally send him a picture of my worm and tablets and said, is this the right one?
My cover up? Ha ha ha oh Yearly worm in time? Did your parents make you do this too when you were little? Oh? Godfraid?
She said, She's send in a photo. So she's twenty six and she's got worms. I have a question anyway, Well, how does that happen? Maybe she works in like childcare dat. I don't know, but she's sent in the photo I'm gonna put. I'm gonna ask you if I can put on our story so you.
Guys can see.
It's literally the worming tablet that you take. He wrote back and said what's it for? And she just left it blank.
I had to say to it, I said, I feel.
I love that she's like she says to it, she says, oh, my parents still make me do this, Yearly like or whatever.
Oh.
I just tried to like throw it under that, because you know how gross that she's twenty six that, yeah, my parents still make me worm my butt. I was like, are you still seeing him? Because she was supposed to be up with him. She's like, well, it only happen this morning.
Give it time. I'm not sure. Accidentally unfiltered. They don't need to be grossy. No, no, no, no, no, no, they do. I'm ready for some dirty sex ones. Guys, come back at me. It's been a while.
What should we jump on in to our special guest? Yes, a time to bring on Carina. Do we have sound effects?
Babe? When you start doing the editing, we'll bring in some sound effects. Okay, okay, Well that's just that.
Today on the show, we have the absolute powerhouse little woman that is Karina Irbie. She is the boss lady that owns Mowana Bikini and Bikini Bodyburn. She is the woman that is paving the way for a more real, raw, unfiltered social media. She's changing the way we look at our bodies. And with an Instagram audience of one point one million, we think she's just the kind of influence we need. Karna, Welcome to life on cuta y.
Thank you so much for having me.
How are we Oh, we're so good and it's actually such a pleasure to have you on. We have both been following your Instagram for so long and when we tossing up people who we wanted to have on the show. You were very top of the list, so this is an absolute tree.
Thank you guys.
I would like to say I actually reached out to you, and Laura reached out to you, and you didn't get back to me, and you got back to Laura.
So I'm not going to take it personally.
I know how rudeminded, but like.
You obviously have your favorite whatever. So I guess we just want to say, straight up, how are you and how has IO life been for you?
Yeah, I'm fantastic, I'm really really good. ISO has been. I mean, yep, crazy time. I haven't really been personally affected by it too much. I'm quite a loner, love my alone time as it is, so my personal lifestyle hasn't really been affected or changed much at all. And regarding our work live, that's changed a little bit, but mainly for good. We've been so crazy busy at the
morn HQ. We have had to do a little bit of social distancing, which means less dance parties and cuddles, but we have had a lot more time online withoutline community, and it's actually been really fun getting to know people on a more deeper level.
That's amazing. That's actually so nice to hear a positive spin on it.
I mean, I think that there's been so much negativity around the whole situation. Everyone so quick to talk about what anxieties it's driving and like how badly some businesses have been affected. But there have also been some businesses that it's just it's done wonderful things for. So I'm so glad to hear that you are on that side of the coin.
Thank you. Yeah, I just think that, you know, you do need to try and see the positive in situations, and yeah, that's just what I try and do on the daily. So I'll keep running with that.
Well, let's get into let's get into the question. So starting at the beginning, you grew up in Port mcquarie. Tell us a little bit about your childhood.
Yep, grew up in Port McCrary. Actually mainly grew up in a small little surfay town called Lake Catai, which is about ten minutes out of Port McCrary. Not a whole lot goes on there but surf, and that was all I really cared about growing up. I was a little teenage surfer girl. Yeah. My parents divorced when I was about twelve. I grew up with my dad and yeah, I mean moved up to the Gold Coast to study at university. And I can't say I've ever really looked back.
So you know, I'm grew up in Lighthouse Beach.
Yeah I know. I do vaguely actually remember seeing you around because do you have crazy blue eyes? Right?
I guess having a moment.
I feel like I used to see you and I used to think, well, look at that girl's dark hair and really blue eyes, like she's so pretty.
Thank you. I mean that's okay, we can finish the interview here.
No, So I have a sister, she's a few younger than me, and we went to Tacking Point Primary School and you were in the year between both of us.
So I think it's a crazy world. Just thought i'd throw that in there.
It's a small world, it's crazy. I completely agree with you.
What we want to know is this upbringing in like Catti port mcurey surfing.
I know exactly what it's like.
But is that do you think that influenced you to start your company Mowana Bikini.
Yeah, definitely. I mean I always had a passion for swimwear, being that like surfing was my life, and obviously I don't you know, you guys might have heard that I was struggling a lot with exma growing up, and I did get bullied a lot for that, and you know, when I was wanting to go surfing, a lot of the time, I did wear a full length wetsuit because I was embarrassed and I didn't want people to see my legs because I was getting called like all sorts
of names. You know, people were making out that I was contagious and I had a disease and that I was you know, scabby legs, and it was really tough, like kids and teenagers can be so cruel, and yeah, I think that one of the main reasons, well, I know one of the main reasons I started more on I was because I said to myself when I got into my early twenties that I didn't want to be
that person anymore. And I did want to be a breath of fresh air for other girls that would definitely be dealing with the same things that I'm dealing with, Like I know that I'm not alone in this big wide world. And if I just started a swimwear company because I want to wear bikinis, like I want to want to wear bikinis, And you know, if I start a brand and I completely embody what I want to embody, maybe other people will appreciate it and follow the journey
with me, and together we can support each other. And that's really how the passion's kicked off.
Listening to you say that, I'm not even lying, I just got goosebumps and I felt so empowered because I'm like, yes, like you're the person that you're the person that women need. You don't realize how much things affect you and how much body image and people can be self conscious even though they're the most beautiful humans. And I just think someone like you that's obviously so inspirational putting out there what I guess society.
Sees as a fault.
It's not, obviously, but you're very about you know, you have x meras of skin condition and I've seeing your pictures and you happily show it when it's the absolute worst, and I just love that you're showing that you can still be beautiful, you can own your body. And hats off to you because I'm empowered right now.
Thank you so much. I do love to hear that. I wish I could have been a bit more like this when I was a young teenager, but I got there in the end.
I think it's a true testament as well to the fact that Instagram and people who are using social media now are craving authenticity and how there's been a shift in that. You know, it's no longer about the perfectly curated feed or the perfectly beautiful photo. It's about this
engagement and feeling like you're part of a community. I guess what I'm really interested in is it seems to be the common thought that someone who has a big influence of following and has a huge community can easily start a business because you have one point one million followers, it seems like it could be so easy for you to then start your Moana Bikini. But actually it was kind of the flip side of that. You started Moana
and then that's when the followers came. So talk me through that, and talk me through how you were able to grow that following and what that journey has been like for you.
Yeah, that's so true. I never intended to even be a personality on Instagram, Like, I didn't even see that as an opportunity. When Instagram came out, I didn't even want to be on Instagram. I like put it off as so I was like, oh no, I don't want to Uh. It was all about Molana. Molana was my life. I put that on Facebook. We grew it organically on Facebook. Instagram came in and naturally just jumped on that because
you know, business and getting the word out there. And yeah, Molana had I think it was like two hundred K at the time, and I actually just reposted a picture of myself wearing Molana for no other reason then. I just wanted to show off the bikini. And in one of the posts I was I did have a bit of XMA. I didn't address it or anything like that,
and followers just started trickling over to my page. And I did get a little bit of weird bullying at the start, mainly because I didn't address the actual, you know, condition that was on my skin. But I also got a lot of people that were like, oh, hey, what's going on with your skin because you look like me? And I think that's just kind of what kicked it off. And gradually I got more confident and started to post I guess the real version of myself online.
It's crazy that you just said I put a photof of myself and I didn't address the exma. It sucks that we're in a world where you have to address something like that anyway. It's literally just a photo of you, and I think that that's I guess that's what you're trying to change, is to normalize it, because that shouldn't even be a sentence. Absolutely, we had been groomed to see perfection on Instagram. We had been groomed to see
people face tune and smooth out their skin. So to see someone post something and be like, hey, what's going on here? There is a level of curiosity. But then there is this like alignment instead of going like, oh okay, this person is going through the same thing as me, and there's there's power in that. There's power in that
community as well. So, I mean, I think that's a testament to why your followers kind of trickled over from it being like very product and brand based to being your like they're your advocates now they're your community of girls.
Something I really wanted to ask you about, which is about Mawana specifically, when you do your campaigns you have these amazing photo shoots where you include women from all different walks of life, all different body sizes, and you do these call outs I guess on social media where you're like, come on, get in a pair of bikinis and let's do this. What was it that made you want to do that and have that level of inclusivity.
Yeah, Oh my god. So they're caught out Molana Army beach metops and they're so much fun. They're just such a crazy day. Even just thinking about it, I'm like, wow, how do we do this? I always it was no question or doubt in my mind that I wanted to do that, and not a whole lot of thinking really went into it. I was just like, hey, we need to get all our customers down here, because how much fun would that be? And I feel like that stems from why I started Marianna in the first place, which
was making other people feel good about themselves. So we can, you know, do our struggles and learn to grow together. And being together in a community is so powerful and fun. And like we had girls down there that had actually never won a bikini before and they're physically in tears, Like, oh my god, I can't believe I have a bikini on, you know, like I'm thirty four, I've never worn one, and there's like three hundred plus women they're like supporting
her and cheering her on. Like, I just can't believe the power in these beach meetups. And once all this corona has you know, gone away, we plan on doing another one asap, but yeah, maybe you guys could come to the next one.
Absolutely signed me up.
You know what, even for myself, like after having a baby, there was a real period there where my body is not the body that it was a year and a half ago, and it never will be again.
I mean it's still insane. No, it's not, it's not it's not even the point I am.
I am still a victim of this comparison culture that exists on social media and I and I know better so to think that it affects me on some level, even though you know, I work in the social media world. I know I know exactly what happens. I can only assume how hugely it affects other people who maybe don't have that same insight.
Yeah, absolutely, I couldn't agreement.
I want to, like, we just skipped apart You've created this amazing company. How did it come into fruition? How did it start? Your challenges? Literally, for the people listening that don't know your story, give it to us.
It's a fun story. You know. Molan has nearly been around for a decade now, which is insane to think. And as I touched on earlier, Molana didn't start for a reason where I wanted to be a business woman or I wanted to make money or I wanted to grow a company. That was never even didn't even cross my brain. All I wanted to do was, you know, make myself and other women feel good. So with that in mind, I finally just got a little kick that
I needed. I was working at a local surf shop, and as I've mentioned as well, I'm a bit of alone. I don't have a whole lot of friends. And the people that I was working with at the time, they were my family and they were my friends, and I really valued the job there and the relationships. And I got very unfortunately and randomly let go one day for something that was just very untrue and just crazy to me to even really think about it. And I was
just so upset and heartbroken. I just felt cheated on and it just made me so mad. And I was like, you know what, Like, I've just dedicated X amount of years to the company and the friendships there, and I'm mad, and you know, I just want to be accepted and loved and make other people feel good and you guys have justin you've just not made me feel like that. So I'm finally going to do what I've always wanted
to do. And my dad was cheering me on the whole time, and he gave me eight hundred dollars and he said, Krena, go and start up the stimulator. Go and make people feel good. And you know you've talked about it for years, Just go and do it. And I was like, you know what, Dad, I'm gonna go and do it. See you later.
Oh, hang on, can I have eight hundred dollars? First?
And so what percentage of the company does your dad own?
Now?
Oh? I hope he's not listening. He always makes joke. He's like, oh, bloody got shares in niche one. I'm like, yes, Dad, Well fy, my dad since has been paid back. And I also bring him daily treats, so if anything, he owes me now.
But we always talk about this on our podcast. Is that from some of the biggest advance city you have in life can be an opportunity for growth. And I think that that's a testament for what you've done here, taking something that could have been like and was probably a really really sad time in your life and then flipping that narrative and creating something that's so incredible that you can now be like scream, guys, look what I've got.
Absolutely and you know the fun part is, I actually went to a cafe many years ago and I was sitting there with a friend just ordering a coffee and the man who actually fired me came and had to wipe my table, like drop.
And you're like, I'm sorry you missed at paw, it's on my butt.
Wh I felt so uncomfortable, and like I really liked this person, and I just felt uncomfortable because I knew that he felt uncomfortable. It was just really strange.
What has been one of your most proud moments with Moana where you're like, you know what, I never saw us doing this, but this is incredible.
Definitely our beach meetups, like they're just crazyful. I just can't get over it, Like the amount of hugs and tears and dance parties and photos and positive energy. It's just like, oh, it's just goosebump material for like the whole half a day. Like I've never been so heavily
impacted by an event in my life. And it's just so it's just so freaking crazy where it's kind of described the emotions that are there on the day and the fact that we can even pull it off and do it and people want to be a part of it just blows my mind.
So how many people are we talking that turn up to these and are they like, are they all locals or do people come from all over.
The last one we had was actually on the Gold Coast. Prior to that, we've done them over in Hawaii because a lot of our customers are over in the States, so we try to meet them halfway. We do plan on doing one in the States. We wanted to do it this year, but coronavirus hit, so no. But the last one we did was just on the Gold Coast. We had over three hundred and fifty girls, and we
had people fly over from interstate, fly from overseas. Yeah, we've had a lot of people just come and show up to these things and that's it again, Like I'm just like, this is so crazy, Like people just want to be loved and they want to be a part of something, and they want to be accepted. And the fact that we can offer this to you know, as many people that are willing and able to show up is just such an unheard of thing.
Why do you think you have such a huge community that's based in America? Like what was the catalyst there to create that community? And why why is the majority shared in Australia.
It just organically happened. The very first sale I ever made was over in Florida actually, and Molana has just very naturally grown into the States. We never specifically marketed to the States. Everything's just been very organic. So I don't know. I mean, they just obviously love our vibe, they love our bright colors, and yeah, I guess just word of mouth is so powerful as well.
So can we talk a little bit about I think a lot of people think that maybe starting a business is easy. Starting a swim my label is like, oh, okay, you just go and get something made and off you go. But how long was the how long was the process of when you started to maybe getting an employee, like how long were you putting the hours in yourself? What kind of workload was it? Were there really hard moments where you were like, oh, I just I can't do this.
When I look back and think, well, how did I get here, it actually blows my mind a little bit because I'm like, how did I do that? What the heck? I didn't even drink coffee back then, Like, what the hell?
Creener? Yeah, no, right.
When I started, that was definitely hard. But it's so funny though, And it sounds cliche, but I didn't see it as hard because it was such a It was so fun. It was like a hobby and it still is to this day. But I started while I was working a part time job, and because you know, I needed money, I had rent to pay. And then gradually
it's more one I got more successful. I dropped down to permanent part time, then I dropped down to casual, and then finally, maybe a year and a half later, I was confident enough to leave and do more on a full time And I was just working out of my spare bedroom and I did many, many many late nights sitting up till three a m. Watching YouTube tutorials on how to make seamless designs, learning a bit more about photoshop and illustrator, not even so much about business
and entrepreneurship, Like none of that crossed my mind. I just wanted to produce amazing, unique swimwhere that's kind of flatter girls, make them feel special, make them look beautiful, and just overall make them feel good. That was honestly my only priority. I'm pretty sure I got my first staff member maybe like two years into business, and they were just a part time helping me out with customer service.
So yeah, and I think mainly the only struggle that I really had was keeping up with the supply and demand. I never expected that we would be selling out so quickly, like literally in a matter of minutes seconds on some designs, which I actually cried a lot, because we had this community of girls that was so excited for let's just
say the Brittany bikini. The Brittany bikini launches and it sells out so quickly, and then I'm getting and then I'm getting absolutely destroyed online like you haven't made enough, how do you, like, how are you going to fix this? I've waited weeks for this and I hear them, and I understand where they're coming from, but I'm like, you don't understand how hard he is, and I would be crying and so upset. But I obviously learned how to keep up with that a bit more.
Now, if you're going to give some advice to someone who is going to or has been thinking about going out and starting their own business, what is like that one golden nugget of advice that you're like, here it is, girlfriend.
Okay, Well, my little golden nugget is to just truly be absolutely passionate and in love with your idea and your message. Sometime, I've met a lot of people through business, and I find that the businesses that are achieving more and going further, the businesses where the people genuinely love and care about what they're doing. They're not focusing on money, they're not focusing on ego or impressing their family and friends. They're doing it from their heart and they mean everything
that they are preaching. And I just think that you should always go into business with that kind of mindset, and I guess not just do it for financial reasons.
I think like people underestimate the power of storytelling. And the power of community. I don't think that in this day and age, like product and good product is enough because everyone can make a decent product. It's such an accessible thing now. But that storytelling element and that the community element that goes with it is what sets business.
Apart absolutely and at more on a bikini, I say to our stuff that customer service is the most important part of the job, and it's why our customer service girls are trained so in depth on how to talk to customers, speak the language. Just at the end of the day, make them happy. That's all I really care about. I just want them to come first. I want everything to be perfect for them, and I just want them
to feel amazing. And obviously our product speaks for itself, but our customer service is really our main focus area.
Jumping in now to your personal social media girlfriend, you are wild and I feel like you share so much. You share so much of yourself of like things that maybe other people would be self conscious about, Like I mean, you talk about cellulite on your social media, you talk about XMA, you talk about body confidence. What was it that made you make that transition? So I know, if you go back real deep into the Instagram archives. Originally your photos are really perfect, and you are that sort
of aspirational, inspirational, perfect Instagram model. And now you're very real and you're very authentic and you're very you. What made you swat? Where did that come from?
Yeah? Well, I guess there's two sides to the story. One is how I gained confidence in being my putting my personality online, and then the other side is my visual appearance appearance online. And my visual appearance came about like, yes, I used to edit photos. I used to make sure I looked a certain way, and that purely just came from being bullied and you know, copying all that horrible slack when I was a kid and a teenager, like I was petrified of being called the contagious scabby girl.
You know, it was so scary, and you know, I guess I yeah, I was just scared. And then like I touched on before, I finally put myself out there with an unedited photo. And I did this because I was exhausted and sick and tired of it, and I just found myself to be being I guess a little bit of a hypocrite because my whole life I dreamed of having a role model that had XMA and we just talk about it and just be that person. And I'm like, well, Karna, you can be that person, like
you have a platform to do it. And yeah, I posted a picture in winter where my ex me was quite bad and I was petrified. I posted it and I instantly got so much love and attention and people were saying, thank god, someone has done this, thank you so much. So even though I was scared. But when I put myself out there, I in return got you know, a really nice I guess like I just good credit and it made me feel good and it was making other people feel good, and I was like, Okay, well fine,
I'm just gonna keep doing it. Am I embarrassed? Yes? Am I self conscious about this? Absolutely? But is it making other people feel good? It looks like it is. I'm just gonna keep running with it. And that's kind of how that kept going.
If you guys don't follow Korena yet, you need to go and follow on Instagram.
She's not hard to find.
You actually don't give a fuck. I love it so much, like I really don't. There is nothing that is off lite. There are people that are on Instagram that you know, they don't care and they put the real out there. But you're like in next level you were like, this is unapologetically me and I love that. So if you guys don't follow a go and follow her any thing you put up now that you're like, oh, like, it sort of makes you think is that too much?
Or oh yeah?
Or do you ever worry about what you're like? Ah, every day, But that's okay. I like to push the envelope.
Yeah, I mean, like even like those fighting videos, I mean, like to be honest, Like I didn't even want to post that. The reason I ended up posting that is because it was so funny.
Also, guys, if you don't know what we're talking about right now, this is gonna sound very random. Karina maybe two days ago, posted a video on her Instagram account where she spread eagle and farted, so like, it's as unfiltered as it can possibly get.
So talk us through this.
When did you get to the point where you were like, do you know what, I don't even care what the people have to say.
I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna do v Oh well, that wasn't my first fighting video. My first fighting video came many months ago, maybe even last year. You see, fighting around my family and friends is funny, and it's a joke that it just goes around our circle and our family. It's just funny. Like, for example, my granddad, he actually calls himself the pop off King, and as a kid, he would do one fart and break it into like several individual farts and then he would say to me, how many was that?
And I would be like four, and he'd be like it was six. So like, I've just grown up with farts as a funny joke in my family, and I'm pretty good at it, I would like to think.
So, I mean it's a great skill.
Lean into what you're good at, Like that's that's my recommendation.
Yeah, you stay in your lane and you do what you're good at. Mine is fighting. But yeah, I don't know. One night, I just I had a funny tummy and Ryan was laying on my leg and I just filmed it just for you know, shits and giggles, not for social media, absolutely not for social media, and the fart
was just dumb. Big Ryan's reaction was hilarious, and then I I shred it to every one of my friends and family and everyone thought it was the funniest thing, and watching people's reactions, I was like, I'd love to put this on social media because it's just funny and everybody farts, and if I can just distract people and make them laugh about this, then, like, I just feel like that would be so great. So one day I just posted it and it went It's probably one of
the most viral things I've done. It Even a couple of TV shows have requested my permission to use the video in their shows.
You're like, great on You're like, I have a successful woman. I I have a successful bikini company. I got this booty like workout company, and you want to put my fart on your TV program?
Fuck go for it.
To be honest, all I want to do in life is make people feel good about themselves, and if that's putting myself out, I'm just gonna do it because in you know, in reaction to that, I'm helping like god knows how many other people. So if I feel uncomfortable for ten minutes, then I can handle that.
I love it so much.
I mean, honestly, I had such a good chuckle about it, and we were like, how do we bring up the fart conversation on the podcast, I was like, put on social media, I don't think we have to be subtle.
Let's just ask. It's a free game.
Another thing that you've been really open talking about on social media is your your transformation in your body and your own body confidence. And now this isn't the transformation that we normally see on social media where someone loses a lot of weight and gets really really tiny. How did you go from being that girl who wanted to be super thin to now being like, you know what, I'm really comfortable in my size and you're super fit
and you're curvy. But how did you make that transition in what you saw as being your own personal standards for beauty?
I guess yeah, I.
Mean that's such a great question. I don't even know what when the time was in my mind where that clicked for me or it changed. I do know that I just got tired of trying to be somebody that maybe the social media community wanted me to be or expected me to be to be accepted, I think. And then with that being said, I did start getting into working out not to be anything or look like anything. I just was like, I want to be a fitter. My dad had a really unfortunate accident and now he's
a quadruplegic. Wow, that really showed me a different side of life, and it also made me value, you know, my life and the ability that I have every day that now has been taken away from him in a matter of literally three seconds. And I watched it all
in real time as well. So going through that with my dad and being by his hospital bed for months and months on end, it's just opened my eyes to seeing that, like, like, life is so much more than being skinny, or being curvy, or being pretty, or being blonde or redhead or you know whatever. It's so much more than that. I think that life you're put here to have fun with it and accept yourself, make the most of your situation, and make other people around you
feel great. And I think it was it's just that moment where I was like, you know what, my dad can't walk anymore, and here I am bitching about some exma. I want to go and be the best version of myself. I want to make my dad proud, and I want to make everybody around me proud, and I want to make people realize that life is precious, and I want them to acknowledge that.
It's crazy that it takes something like that, isn't it. But because I followed you for so long, I see the relationship you have with your dad, and I see like the wheelchair races that you do along the path, like along the beach in the Gold Coast, and it's obviously a really beautiful, special thing that you have with your dad. So I think that's really heartwarming to a
lot of people to see. It's also such a testament to your personality and to your strength that you have such a positive outlook on life, Like you seem to take these hurdles and the shit that life's throws at you and be using them as an opportunity to even make you to make your life even better.
And I think that that's.
Yeah, it's a real testament to who you are as a person and why you have created this community and why people look up to you because this positivity is infectious.
Yeah, absolutely, And like there's a lot of times on social media where I will get backlash for you know, certain things, and I get that everybody is entitled to opinions and things like that, and you know, it's when I do podcasts like this where I actually do have an opportunity to speak about why I am the way I am and why I talk the way I talk, and you know, why my actions are the way they are.
And you know, I really appreciate you guys asking me questions like this because it does help me, you know, share a little bit more depth about my situation. And I think that's really special that you guys offer people like myself, you know, places to do that. So I think, thank you guys.
Not at all.
We feel really privileged that you, yeah, that you trust us to be able to share that side of your story with as well, So thank you. We really appreciate that. Something that you just touched on, which which is what we wanted to get into next. Anyway, is this whole idea of online bullying. And you know, we have seen
that you do get trolls. As much as you have this amazing community around you, there are people who get onto your social media and some pretty shitty comments in the comment section, and how do you deal with that?
I mean, it really does depend on the topic. If it's just like a male saying like, you know, gross things about you know, female stuff like I don't care twice about that. I'm like, hah, that's funny. I think I do find trolling.
Oh you're silly, man, You're so silly.
Sit down, sweetie. But you know, I think that if I do get trolled in I guess like a more political manner. I guess that's hard for me because you know, like, like I've just shared with you guys a little bit about why I am the way I am, Like, not a lot of people do get to see that. So if people don't see eye, I don't ee with me, or they're not willing to be a little bit more open minded on why I've said what I've said, or I've reacted how I have reacted, which in my defense,
is always with a lot of love and respect. I just, you know, I just tried not to really think about it because sometimes people aren't really willing to you know, listen, some people just want to hear what they want to hear, and you know, I'm not going to change their mindset, and you know, maybe you won't change their mindset. But at the end of the day, I'm still here and I'm an open book, and if anybody wants to come and have a lovely conversation with me. I'm still going
to hear them out one hundred percent. I think it's just how they approach.
It, for sure, And I mean, Laura and I have experienced it in compared to you in the tiniest amount, obviously, we're both on the Bachelor. With that comes a lot of media, and with that comes a lot of people that think they know you, and they, I mean, every article that ever comes out about us. You try not to read the comment the daily male comment section.
Jesus, it's the cessful of humanity.
But I think that the real testament here is that you're never going to make everybody like you, and you shouldn't want to make everybody like you, because then you become such a diluted version of yourself. And you know what, people are going to love you for your authenticity and they're also going to hate you for it. And it's okay to sit somewhere in the middle of that. You because I've been following you so long and I actually read a lot of the comments. You literally can't win.
This is what I have found. It doesn't it doesn't matter what you have posted, how happy, positive, how raw you've been there's someone or not even someone, it's usually like one hundred people that will just jump on your back. And I've seen you have conversations like I find it amazing how much time you find to dedicate to your audience. I've seen you have conversations with people and it just goes around in circles. Is there a time where you're like, oh my god, I just literally I don't want to
do this anymore? Or does it ever weigh you down, the trolling and the negativity, because you obviously have so many people that love and adore you, but we often talk about how it only takes one person's negativity you latch onto that.
So does it ever get you down?
Yeah, definitely, it definitely gets me down. And just because I don't want to make anyone feel bad, because that's never my intention. And sometimes with those comments where I have spent time to listen, acknowledge and his somebody out, when those conversations do go in circles, I do throw my hands up and I do get frustrated, and I'm like, this person isn't willing to listen, They're not willing to just be open minded with where I'm coming from. Even
though I'm hearing them, they're not really hearing me. Occasionally, if it's getting out of hand, I'll send them a really nice voice message you know, Hey, you can do that on Instagram DMS. Oh well, I think I did it to you.
You did, you splid on into my DMS, not jealous whatever I did.
Yeah, I do like to hit people up those kinds of people in voice memo. I feel like it's a nice reminder that, even though we're talking via a phone screen, that I'm a human and you can hear the empathy in my voice, you can hear my personality in my tone, and you can hear that I am a good person and I'm listening and I'm acknowledging you sometimes, I guess, and you guys probably would have found it as well.
People will read your captions or your comments, but they'll read it with whatever tone they choose to read it with, and we don't have any control over that. So I think that voice memos, you know, they're really good. And nine times out of ten, when I end up having a voice memo conversation where we're in a good place together by the end of.
It, my question is like, why do you bother with the trolls, Like I think most people's way that they approach it is that they just block and delete, but you actually take time to engage and write back and have conversations with and actually take it upon yourself to change their opinion. Like why do you feel compelled to do that? Why do you want to do that?
I don't know, I'm so busy. I think that I just have a lot of empathy for people as well, and I care. I guess I care about what they say and I just want them to feel acknowledged. And I don't want to always try and change somebody's mind because I you know, I don't have time for that, and I don't want to change people's minds at all. Like imagine if we all felt and thought the same,
like the world would be a crazy, boring place. But I just want people to understand that on social media they can be heard and they are heard, and I am listening and I'm learning and I'm willing to do that. And I just think it comes around as well, like I want to be treated how I treat other people, and I just believe in that, like you know, you
treat others how you wish to be treated. And it's just something that I do like to apply on my social media because you know, there's so many young girls watching and I just really do want to be a good role model for those people that are, you know, sitting back with the popcorn watching everything go down.
And just in relation to that, what piece of advice do you have.
We do have a young audience, we have, I mean, we have a pretty broad audience. But what advice do you have to people that are sort of going through trolling or bullying, all this imposter type syndrome on social media? What advice do you have to them?
I think the advice that I could give to them is to just never take it on board. Keep in mind that you know, everywhere in the world, you know, everyone's different, Everyone has a different background, and they all have different experiences, which is something that everyone having an opinion on social media really does need to recognize and acknowledge.
I mean, here in Australia, we're not exposed to the things that you know, the American population are exposed to, so there is a huge cultural difference there as well, and sometimes I think that people can forget that, and you know, just in general, so if you're getting trolld. Just remember you don't even know their story. You don't
know why they're acting out. You don't know why they're saying the things they are, and the reason they're probably saying those things to you probably has absolutely nothing to do with you at all. They've never met you, they've never spoken to you. Deep down, you know who you are. You know that you're a beautiful boss babe, and just really try hard not to take it on board because you need to be confident with who you are.
That leads into a question that I find really interesting. What are your opinions on face tune and photoshop on social media and people using it and passing themselves off as though that's actually what they look like.
Oh God, it's sonnoying. It actually really makes me sad for the reasons that you were just saying about that school teacher. There's two sides, and I think that editing is yay and nay. I don't believe that you should be making yourself look like somebody you're not. I don't believe you should be smoothing out your skin to look like a doll. And I don't believe that you should be reconstructing your body or your face as well. Not
only is that just awkward because I don't know. I don't know about you guys, but I can tell straight away as soon as someone I like to say, has cooked their photo, Like I can tell, Yeah, I'm just like, well that is cooked. Like the whites of your eyes are brighter than the moon right now, that's not normal, you know, like your eyebrows in your hairline like that. Not even botox or whatever procedure would do that. Like,
I get it. But you know, a lot of those people, I think that our editing their pictures so heavily is they may not be accepting themselves, and they might be a little scared of controversy. And I sympathize with that.
And I think that if you're in a place where you're still learning to accept, you're a bit scared to just actually post a role photo of you, because it actually is a huge deal, especially now, like bullying is real, and if you're not quite out that phase and you do just want to face tune a little bit off, photoshop a bit of your picture, you know what, That's fine, you go for it, just don't make yourself look like somebody or not, because how awkward when I see you
in real life and I don't recognize you.
I used to have that fear that I wouldn't like photoshop and edit my photos to talk photos. But my Instagram used to be at this point where I only wanted to put these the best angles and the best photos with the best lining, and.
My makeup was great.
And then I used to think, I've literally put the top one percent of who I am. I'm going to see someone in the street and like this, like look like a hobo, and they're gonna be like, that's Brittany, but you know what I mean. And then I got to the point now where I just I just put whatever up. I mean, I still put good photos up, but I show who I am more. But I used to be petrified, especially when I was dating online dating. I was like, what if I walk into the restaurant and.
He doesn't even know who I am?
But I also think that that shift now even in your own social media bred like that is just a true testament that the platform of social media is changing, and that, like we said earlier, people are crating authenticity, people are seeking out authenticity, and because people like you Karina are putting their raw version of themselves out on social media, other people feel empowered to follow, and that's an incredible legacy that you are setting, I think as.
Well, Like that's why I focus really heavily on stories. I love Instagram stories a hundred times more than posting a picture. I like my personality more than what I look like, and you know, I like to share that as well. You know, I just think that I can be fine, and I can make people laugh a bit, and I put a lot of energy into stories and I structure them and I want to edit them fine.
And you know, it's almost like every day is like a little mini YouTube on my story, and I think that's really cool because you get to actually see my personality. You get to see videos of me so obviously a kind of face tune of video. And I just feel like when you are on Instagram, you can choose to follow people that are showing more of a vulnerable, video
kind of side of themselves as well. Like it's just up to the individual, you know, to filter out who they do and don't want to follow and what they want to be exposed to.
Totally, I'm so much more.
I agree, I'm so much more like, I have a lot more personality on my stories, and I'm so much more like this is me and bed at night looking gross, being a wanker, And I love that more because people are like, oh, I didn't I didn't know you actually had personality. I'm like, okay, thanks, I got one. But Karna, we are a relationships podcast, and you have the cutest
relationship with Ryan. You're totally smittening in love a couple girls. Yeah, instagrams as well, you work together, you tegether all the time, you fart on him.
Love that. How did you? How did you?
What's your story? How did you meet? Tell me about it? Tell me about you?
Guys him.
I was probably single for just under twelve months. Wasn't interested in getting into a new relationship. I like my lone time. Like I said, Tinder was a thing. All my friends were like, you should have fun on there. It's like a game, it's fun. And I was so embarrassed to go on it, so I just didn't just watch from a far.
But one dark and stormy night, I was sitting on the cop and I was watching Sex in the City, and I had Ntella and tiny Teddies and I was feeling all sassy.
I was like, yeah, you know, I am.
Shop me some boyfriend.
Absolutely, So I downloaded the app in the privacy of my home and I started swiping, and I connected with Ryan. I don't know how long it was, but it was very freaking quickly, Like my whole Tinder experience was only Ryan and we matched. We chatted for a bit, and then obviously he asked for my number, because you know, I'm just like so freaking cool and da, I gave him my number, and then you know, later on he text me and I just played a prank and I
was like, sorry, who's this? You know? So we had that banter kind of straight away, and we texted each other for three weeks, and then finally we went out for coffee and we've actually been very inseparable since that coffee date.
That's so cute.
What a Tinder success story. I know, what's your secret? What's your secret? Because I've been you did it on your first Tinder guy. I've been on online dating for about nine years now. Brittany's actually just worn a whole pattern in her phone from where she swipes from left to right.
I've lost some.
Skin on my on my point of finger. My swiper finger rip for Britney's finger. One thing, one thing I really want to know about how your dynamic of your relationship works is obviously like you guys work together. He is a core part of Mowana as well, Like, how does that work for you?
Do you not get sick of it each other? Who's the boss? How does it work?
Definitely don't get sick of each other at all. I miss him and he's just like downstairs right now, Love you, honey. You guys are disgusting, so gross. I think that you know Ryan and I as cliches, it sounds we were just like so made for each other. We're completely different people, but we have the same values and we just work very well together, both in a personal relationship sense and a work sense. We both respect each other and we both know that we specialize in different fields as well.
So you know, at Ryan used to be the managing editor of Surfing Life magazine. He's really great at marketing, he's great at writing, he's really well spoken. You know, you've had to deal with him.
The excellent, excellent customer service skills. He was on that email in a hot second.
I know he was and he's just so great. And then when the editorial job was, you know, going down because editorial has slowly faded away. Everything's online now, I was like, shotgun.
Maana, slash, marry me and never leave my side again, love you bye.
Yeah, basically, and then Ryan, I don't even know if we really had a conversation about it, but Ryan just really wanted to. He just loves what Maurana does for people, and he's all about that. And so now Ryan is our customer, he's our operations manager. So Ryan is basically keeping the business ticking along, and he does a lot behind the scenes that no one even knows about, which he's fine with. He's like, you know, just a ghost that makes everything look amazing. But at work, like I
don't know, Like we don't fight, we don't argue. We always see ey to eye, and I think it's just because we just we respect each other and we're just always on the same page no matter what it is. We are always just on the same page.
And also because you're like, well I'm the boss.
So oh no, no, I'm the boss. I am the boss. He can here's my here's my two I see them.
Oh yeah, with perfect I love this and do you have a bit do you have like one piece of relationship advice, like what what would you what would you pass down to your children one day.
I think that relationship shouldn't be hard. And I think that although a relationship, although a relationship, you do need to work at it every day, but at the at the same time, they shouldn't be hard. And I've been in past relationships where they have been hard, and they've they've been really sad, and they've made me question my my true self and what I love about myself and want I believe about myself. And then when I met Ryan,
I've never had to deal with that ever again. And it's just maybe noticed that relationships are meant to be fun. They're a life experience. There can be your life partner, and you know, I just think that you need to just look out for those little warning signs and find that person that really listens to you and believes in you.
So ignore the warning signs. Ban And.
I was gonna say, you have literally just been singing to the choir with that advice. That's like something that we try and drive home on this podcast is that there's this real sort of I think there's this like glorification, almost romanticizing of like difficult relationships because it's like you've got to work at it, and I just don't think
that's the case. I think I've I have also, like you, I've had relationships that have been so so hard, they've been so turbulent, they've been so up and down, and I thought at the time that they would that would amount to something that was worthwhile. And now in my relationship, it's the It's the fucking easiest thing in the world.
We're always happy, we're always laughing, And it made me realize that this is actually what it's supposed to be like, and this is the only way it's supposed to be for you to be able to have a really long and fulfilling relationship that doesn't have you crying every other day or feeling like you're on this emotional rollercoaster.
Absolutely, I couldn't agree more with that.
So Laura always makes a joke that like, there'll be one really nice guy over on my right and there'll be fifty red flags in a bundle to my I'll run just red flags on the left hand side, and it's like, oh shiney.
I mean, evidently Karta.
We always wrap up our chats with the an embarrassing story. We have a segment called Accidentally Unfiltered, which basically started with like a really embarrassing story on my behalf, and now we always get people to chime in, So do you have for us? Are super embarrassing? I feel like already know the answer, an accidentally unfiltered story of your very own.
I do, and I'm sweating just thinking about it. So this story I've actually never told the public. Yes, so this is you've heard it here first, We've got exclusive All right, guys, are you ready ready?
I'm Sally looks like on the edge of a seat.
Okay, well, let me paint you a cute little picture. Bright and I had only been dating for maybe two years or so. It was Mauana Bikini's Christmas party, so we all went out to Tepanyaki. I don't drink alcohol, didn't drink coffee at the time, but decided to get myself an espresso martini. Tasted great. I loved it, but it was incredibly strong, and I knew that I was and I got Ryan to test and he was like, WHOA, that's that's strong, And I was like oh well, yay.
So anyway, I drunk one one of those drinks and you know whatever. But maybe like two or three hours later, we had moved on and we were out in public at Max Brenner for dessert with you know, all this stuff. And I was also with my good friend Michael Huxley and all his stuff because we always do a combined Christmas party because he has a school of makeup next door to us. Anyway, all of a sudden, I started to get these excruciating pains, like pains that I've never
actually felt before. I thought that like I had a stomach alcar or. My stomach was flipping, and I was like, oh my god. And I started to get sweaty, and I said to Ryan, I need to go home. I don't there's something wrong with me. I'm thinking, like I need to go to hospital, like there's something wrong with me. So we left and we drove home, and this sharp pain just kept coming on. So something else had never happened before. We had locked ourselves out of my old apartment.
I can see where this is going.
I know you can see where it's going, but it actually gets so much worse than where you think it's gonna go as well, which is great. So I'll just cut to the chase a bit. Forty five minutes spent trying to get hold of a locksmith. Now by this time, you know what, I'm about to shit my pants, And I said to were in the garage of my apartment at Mermaid Beach, where it's like bumper to bumper apartment buildings, no privacy, and I've just said trying, Oh my god,
I need to go toilet. I need to go twilet. So I have got out of the car, got out of the garage, and I've run into this tiny little backyard where there's apartments all around me, and I have had to squat in the backyard and I have gone to the toilet all over the lawn. And I've got to admit it was probably the best feeling of relief I've ever felt in my entire existence, being in this kind of But it didn't end there. Unfortunately. I tried
to clean up. I did try to clean up the mess by getting a bucket of water and you know, rinsing it through the grass. Unfortunately, that just expanded the situation.
Trina, You're like the poo jogger.
Oh well, I actually ended up jogging, so I couldn't go get in the backyard. And we lived on the beach, and Ryan's like, you're gonna have to go down to the beach. So here's me at midnight on the phone. I called my mom because I don't want to get attack down the beach, and I'm running down the beach and I'm like, Mom, help me. I'm going to the beach.
I'm gonna put myself and my mom's like Karna. At first, she was very grumpy that I woke her up at midnight, but by the end of the conversation, when I'm squatting in the sand dunes, digging holes trying to like get this out of my system, She's hysterical. I had to go down to the beach and like rinse. And then by the time the locksmith had finally got back to the house hours later, I'd let it all out and I felt fine. So I publicly pooed myself.
And then you.
Were actually not the first person to do that, so don't worry so good. I wasn't expecting an embarrassing story quite that embarrassing. Did you end up going back to the Christmas party?
No, that had long gone, but obviously everyone knows and it's a very fun, funly talked about a situation in the office.
So yes, oh Karina, you are an absolute vision. Thank you so much for taking time today to talk to us. We absolutely love you every second of having this chat, but also thank you for just being the incredible role model and the empowering woman that you are on social media. You have created such an inspiring community and we're so grateful that you've taken this time to chat to us today.
Just before we let you go, lastly, we always end our episodes with our suck and our sweet for the week, which means that it's like your high light and your low light, so you get to kick it off.
What was your suck for this week?
I think my suck for this week was it's so so cute. I just kind of missed my dad. I haven't been able to see you, and I know I haven't even called him in two days. I normally call my mum and dad every day, so I actually kind of missed my dad a little bit, so I'm gonna try and call him maybe after this podcast. So that's my little suck.
Yeah, and what is your sweet? As part of your week.
Okay, my sweet for the week would probably be our recent Molana bikini launch was just really crazy successful and the amazing positive feedback we got from our customers was phenomenal. And I had customers personally messaging me on Facebook and Instagram letting them know that our customer service staff went above and beyond to make them happy, and that just
I don't know. I just told the girls at work yesterday how much I really appreciate their time and their effort, and I just I feel very honored and lucky to have those kind of people around me.
That's amazing. Karina.
For everybody who is listening who maybe doesn't follow you on social media right now, can you please tell us your Instagram handles? Where can they find you?
Yeah, so you can follow me on at Karina Irbi spelled Irby, It's just my name on Instagram and obviously Molana is at Molana Underscore Bikini.
Pritty, give me your second suite. I just didn't know what we're going there, Come on, give it to me. Okay, So my suck this week, Okay, my suck would have to be I had some news found out some news. Let Laura know basically, we found out that the America is picking up the Bachelor franchise in Australia.
This is huge.
They're gonna put on HBO, Like, that's incredible. The only season they're not gonna pick up was the one that I was monumentally dumped on, which is a Honey Badger, and I just thought, cut a girl a break.
Like I got.
I got this text message in britt yesterday and she was like, fuck you. You win everything. You're even getting your show shown in the States, and I get another because Laura season, Morris.
Season, she gets the hot guy. Don't tell a matter acord him hot.
She gets the hot guy so hitting on my fiance, she gets the baby. She gets a season on HBO. You sliding to a DMS. I get dumps like no one else in Bachelor history. No baby, no boyfriend, no HBO series. Are we expected to feel sorry for you? What are you doing right now? I'm just telling is my second look. It's been a hard week for Britney.
Rock one too.
What is your sweet? My sweet is probably two things tied. Talking to your Kreina, I've actually just had the funnest hour and a half. I've loved it. Thank you so much. You're very inspiring. So that's definitely a sweet. My other sweet is I lost my dog last week. We had to put her down. But I just had this fan, like a girl that follows me on Instagram. She just she's an amazing artist and out of nowhere, she's like, I just drew your dog for you and for your
dad because I know how much it meant. And I sent and she sent it to me. I put on my Instagram story. It was incredible. It was so accurate of my dog, Lily. Do you know what the smallest Yeah, the smallest piece of kindness from someone I don't even know, and it made my day and my whole my dad, my family. So I just thought, wow, like going out of your way to make someone else feel good. It's just she doesn't know how much she's changed my my week. So that's it.
That's so beautiful. I love that I know.
And what about you, el dog? Oh man? Am I starting with my suck? You know the rules? You start with your suck.
Look, I've rely been doing this for a year, guys, I'm still new to this.
My suck.
I've had a really good week, so I don't have a suck. So this is gonna sound like the most trivial thing that has happened to anyone. I spent a lot of time yesterday running around trying to get bits and pieces that we didn't have.
In order to do this zoom meeting. So as much as I.
Fucking love the fact that we've done it and you are my highlight, Carena, the running around and like not knowing exactly how to do it was like a bit of a look, it's some new skill. Let's focus on the positives. I now know how to do remote recording, so I've learned a new thing. My suite for the week, I've really forgotten these things now. I thought I had them. At the start of every episode, I'm like, Babes, remember your suck, and sweet she's like, yeah, babe, got it,
and then she forgets it every day. Okay, look, my sweet, I am sleep deprived. I have like a baby that doesn't sleep very well, so okay, my seat for the week is always pretty much revolved around Mally, my sweet. For this week, she has been teething and it's been a really really stressful time because she's just not sleeping.
She's pretty irate, but we feel like we're on the other side of her first couple of teeth that she's pushed out, and she's back to eating, and she's back to sleeping better, and she's just a happy baby again, which is really I mean, no one cares except for me, but it's really important to me.
I can do no.
That's great. And you know, as a mummy, it would be so hard, and to see your little one crying.
Always it kills you.
Just still blows my mind, like how much they take over every facet of your life. And I never thought that I would be the sort of mum that would be like, oh, guys, we're going to talk about my baby. He's teething now. But I am exactly that mum and I'm so fine with it.
So whatever.
Absolutely, I think it's great.
Good for you.
Well, Karana, thanks so much for coming on the show today. We've absolutely loved having you. Been a blast, loved every second.
Thank you so much for having me on the podcast. This was really therapeutic, and I got to admit I opened up about a few things that I've never even publicly acknowledged, and I want to thank you guys for that. And I've had a really fun time talking. I actually really don't want it to end. You guys have such a great energy together. You guys are a blast. And yeah, you've got me hooked on life. You're a podcast. I love you guys.
All right, guys, thank you so much for listening to another episode of Life Uncut. If you haven't jumped onto our Facebook group page yet, then what the fuck are you doing? Get on over there. It is Life Uncut podcast. That's where all the real, dark and dirty discussions go down. We've also got the Instagram page which is Life Uncut podcast.
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