Duos We Admire: Megan Shekleton

Megan Shekleton, Founder of MoxxieMade, embodies everything about what it means to be a true HarperSage "Duo." She is soft, yet strong, analytical, yet creative, can thrive on both the east and in the south (current status: Austin TX), and considers boho dresses a comfortable style staple.

For those of us that have been lucky enough to be in her presence, it truly is powerful to behold (in the softest way possible). Megan leads with her heart and executes with vigor. The result? Founding a platform that creates opportunities for deep connection, holistic mentorship, and soul growth. Read on to learn more about her day-to-day as she navigates life, work, and style as a Duo We Admire!

MoxxieMade encourages women to embrace their in-between. 

How do you (or how have you) embraced your in-between? What parts of yourself are still a WIP and what parts make you feel confident and bada$$?!

I love this question. At MoxxieMade, we want women to embrace their in-between. It’s about accepting yourself in this moment as you actively grow into the woman you’d like to be. The fact is we “never really arrive,” so it’s important to embrace our unfolding. And, celebrate it!

For me, this human experience is all about soul expansion and deeper self love. My proudest growth is in my ability to love and accept myself more. There’s always new layers to reach in this area. Right now, I am actively working on my money mindset and wealth consciousness as I am excited to level up in this area. So, I am doing this by spending more time reading about wealth. I highly recommend “Happy Pocket Full of Money” and “I Will Teach You To Be Rich.” Follow past MoxxieMade mentors - Tiffany of @thebudgetnista, Marsha of @thefinancebar, and Allegra from @factorawealth. It’s a huge win to uncover limiting beliefs and start to shift them in a direction that’s more aligned with who you’d like to be.

Compare your work-week vs. weekend mentality.

To be honest, my mentality only shifts slightly during the weekend. One of the perks of being my own boss is that I can choose when I’d like to work, and oftentimes, my creative, bigger picture conceptual work for MoxxieMade happens over the weekend.

I also think it’s important to overcome the productivity bias that we need to “earn” time off or “earn” our self care. So, that’s something I’m intentional about during the week.

What are the highs and lows of your workday?

After many years in corporate life, one benefit of entrepreneurship is that you have more flexibility to plan your day around your natural energy peaks and dips. I am a morning person, so I love to block this time for more conceptual, strategic work. And, then, when my energy dips in the afternoon, use this time for meetings and statuses.

In terms of emotional highs and lows, no day is the same, so it really just depends on the day at hand. I am a big believer in celebrating small wins, and as an entrepreneur, you no longer have corporate benchmarks to evaluate your progress, or a boss to provide external validation on a “job well done.” So, it’s important that you take the time to recognize that small growth and progress adds up. And, to celebrate it! In my phone, I have a “MoxxieMade Wins” note, and I like make a list of small wins throughout the day. It could be as simple as an email that lit me up, but it’s always rewarding to look back on the wins from a year ago and recognize how far we’ve come. 

How do your morning and night routines differ?

As I am a morning person, I really relish in my morning rituals. To me, rituals are habits with a dash of magic and intention. Every morning, I get up and make a latte. I love my coffee, and each morning, I set an intention or affirmation that I am mindful of every time I take a sip of my coffee. Then, I meditate for about 10 minutes, and then, I read my daily intention books. I read Cleo Wade’s “Hard Talk”, Jen Sincero’s “You are a Badass Everyday”, and Marianne Williamson’s “A Year of Devotions.” Then, I journal. Journaling is a big part of my self love practice. 

At the moment, I really don’t have a night routine that’s super intentional, but it’s something I hope to integrate into my day. Send me a DM with any suggestions you all have to @megan.shekleton. I am in search of inspiration here!

What word summarizes your week-day style? Weekend style?

Week-day: Cozy.

Weekend: Expression.

What is the perfect transitional work to evening look for you?

I grew up in Arizona, so my closet is filled with dresses. To me, a dress is always a nice work-to-night winning combination!

What skills do you think every female entrepreneur should embody to succeed?

For this question, it really depends on the stage of your startup. Eventually, you can hire a diverse team with different strengths and skill sets to balance your natural talents.

For me, a hard skill that’s come in handy is brand building and strategy. Before MoxxieMade, I worked in advertising for 7 years on big CPG legacy brands, so it’s been really helpful to take this knowledge to help MoxxieMade’s brand and positioning make an impact with a marketing budget of zero dollars. A few other hard skills include - time management, prioritization, and the ability to think big picture while also executing the details - are important in the early stages of developing a business.

For a soft skill, over time, I’ve learned to trust my gut more. Oftentimes, the decisions where I had an off gut feeling but moved forward as it felt like a “good opportunity” turned out to be learning experiences. Trusting my instincts and in the belief that the universe will match my efforts leads to amazing flow with my work. 

Compare yourself now to when you first started Moxxiemade. How have you changed as a businesswoman?

I’ve grown so much! When you try anything for the first time, you don’t have direct experience to reassure you that you can be successful at that new thing. Oftentimes, you just take the leap because not trying would mean disappointing yourself. To me, that disappointment and regret is worse than “failing” because when fear holds you back in one area, it will hold you back in another.

Launching MoxxieMade was a huge faith leap in trusting that a space I needed in my life meant that others were craving community, mentorship, and soul growth, too. If you have a vision for something you’d love to bring to life, push beyond that fear because it leads to a wider sense of self.

Name an iconic duo!

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen! The 3rd grader in me is still so curious about their mysterious lives and iconic style.

To keep up with Megan, follow her on Instagram! You can also follow Moxxiemade here or check the website for their next event!