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S2E15: Who? The Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions Surrogate Education and Matching Team
100 Plays5 months ago
On today's episode, we get to hear from the incredible members of the Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions Surrogate Education and Matching Team!
In this heartwarming and insightful conversation, we dive deep into the experiences and pivotal roles of these dedicated team members. Discover the core values that drive the mission of Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions, including transparency, personal connections, and a deep understanding of the unique needs and preferences of both intended parents and surrogates.
Learn about the meticulous process of matching intended parents and surrogates, the importance of thorough research and education, and the patience required to create the perfect match. The team shares their unwavering commitment to providing unparalleled support and guidance throughout the surrogacy journey, emphasizing open communication, trust, and shared values.
What sets this exceptional agency apart is their dedication to building strong, meaningful relationships and ensuring a harmonious and fulfilling journey for everyone involved. Join us as we explore how Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions is dedicated to creating happy families and cherishing the joy of turning dreams into reality.
Takeaways
- The team at Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions is committed to providing support and guidance throughout the surrogacy journey.
- Transparency and open communication are crucial in the surrogacy process.
- Understanding the needs and preferences of intended parents and surrogates is essential for a successful match.
- An agency allows surrogates and intended parents to choose each other, offering a more personalized experience.
- Building strong relationships and finding the right match is crucial in surrogacy.
- Open communication, trust, and shared values are essential for a successful journey.
- Thorough research and education are important for both intended parents and surrogates.
- Patience is key, and rushing the process can lead to problems.
- The team at Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions are supportive and available throughout the surrogacy journey and are dedicated to creating happy families.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Surrogacy Team
00:00:00
Speaker
Hi, everyone. I am so excited to bring you this very special episode featuring the incredible members of the surrogate education and matching team at Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions. In this conversation, we get to explore the experiences and pivotal roles of each of these dedicated team members, shedding light on the core values that drive the mission of Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions. We talk about the significance of transparency personal connections, and understanding the unique needs and preferences of both intended parents and surrogates. The team emphasizes their unwavering commitment to providing support and guidance throughout the entire surrogacy journey. Join us as we delve into the meticulous process of matching intended parents and surrogates
00:00:51
Speaker
the importance of thorough research and education and the patience required to create that perfect match. You'll get to discover this exceptional agency and how it is dedicated to helping create happy families and how we cherish the joy of turning dreams into a reality.
Whitney Hall's Surrogacy Journey
00:01:11
Speaker
Please enjoy. me you, and who? Who knew it would take more than two people to have a baby? In a world where infertility is no longer a taboo topic, this podcast will take you through all of the different aspects of surrogacy and egg donation through the lens of many who walk this journey in different ways. My name is Whitney Hall and I am a two-time Surrogate Now Turned Surrogacy Coordinator for Egg Donor and Surrogate Solutions.
00:01:41
Speaker
the very agency I used when I chose to carry for two amazing families. With this podcast, it is our goal to help guide and support you as you learn about what it takes to grow a family in an alternative way, as well as hear inspiring and beautiful stories of how this path has changed lives forever. We can't wait for you to hear about just one more way happy families are created every day.
00:02:12
Speaker
Hi you guys. Hi. Hey Whitney. Yay. Very good education and matching team. So excited to be here. Oh my gosh. Okay. So for our lovely individuals who can't see us, can you guys go around and say you your name, what you do and how many years you've been with the company?
00:02:38
Speaker
Sure. My name is Lauren Palm. I am the director of
Team's Personal Connections and Memorable Moments
00:02:42
Speaker
education and matching for our surrogacy program. And this is my 15th year in the industry. Stop. I know. I'm main.
00:02:51
Speaker
same here Also by bye at the time of recording. Happy birthday. Lauren is 30 years old today. 30 years. We started with the company at 15. At 15, yeah, absolutely. Go, baby. Hi, Whitney. My name is Barrett Best. I am the branding specialist. I have been with Egg Donor and surrogate solutions for five years now. Oh, my gosh. I know. Oh, baby. Where are you, Courtney, my love? I am Courtney Solstad, and I am the surrogate onboarding and insurance specialist. I have been with surrogate solutions in about three years in August.
00:03:31
Speaker
Yeah. I'm Meg Wattwood and I am the intended parent onboard and matching coordinator. And both the company eight years this month. So exciting. So exciting. Oh my gosh. So what would you say? you know, just coming into this industry and being here as long as we have been and just this like different seats that we've all kind of sat in. What would you say is maybe kind of been one of your most memorable moment from your personal journey that brought you here?
00:04:10
Speaker
Well, I feel like I've been in all the seats at this point, but I can tell you that the one I'm in now is currently my favorite because I get to meet with the intended parents and by the time they've gotten to me, they've been devastated and nothing else has worked out. sure No one's first choice for how to have a baby. But I get to turn there, I get to give them hope again and then watch that turn into joy when we match them with a surrogate that is able to help them complete their family. Yeah, yeah. Well, and you were, I mean, I think, again, the the majority of us on this team have been surrogates. And so we kind of have that personal viewpoint of the position that it's been in. But it' I mean, you've been in the industry for so long, and now you get to, like you said, you get to bring hope and see that part of the process and do that part of the process.
Transparency and Personalized Matching
00:05:00
Speaker
Yes. I love that. I love that. What about you, Bibi?
00:05:03
Speaker
I just loved just being in the industry and helping to create families. yeah And I just wanted to do it like every single day. So I knew a position with the company would be the right fit for me. And I i have a different situation where I carried for two different companies and and I fell in love with Egg Donor and surrogate solutions. And I just knew it was like my forever place. yeah I just love that I get to do it every day. Yeah. And you are like that first voice that a lot of our are surrogates are going to hear yes when they first come to us. yeah Yes. And I love explaining how we are different than other agencies because I've experienced it myself. So when I tell them about how we are different, I really, really mean it. And I'm so excited to share what we can offer them. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. it's so okay
00:05:51
Speaker
Court. Yes. So families are created in a lot of different ways. Yeah, they are. um My family started with several years of infertility, um six IUIs and then ultimately three IVFs. So um having walked through the infertility journey just gave me so much insight for the desire to have a family and the frustration that you feel when it doesn't work out and then the bills come and just how all that looks. um And so, yeah, I think having experienced it and then wanting to help others see the other side of it um is really like the passion that I was able to
00:06:32
Speaker
just have like through like having kids and like, oh my gosh, this actually happened for me. But the frustration of like walking through it and like, will it happen? Can it happen? And just understanding all those emotions and being able to step into a role that is bringing people hope in their journey of will it happen? Can it happen? um It's just exciting to be able to watch from the start and then watch to the end. yeah And to help with the insurance pieces, like that's a lot. yeah I was going to say I think the thing that i I've got your your role in this team is so crucial because just like you said it's it it can be it's so frustrating on so many levels this process can be as far as or in your personal process going through everything and whenever you think about those
00:07:17
Speaker
those nitty-gritties, medical records, insurance, all of that nitty-gritty stuff, and you try and make it as simple and as easy as possible for anybody that's going through this process with us. And it's vitally important. Vital. i don Vital. Vital. People don't understand that. They don't. It's just a little thing that we do, this or this, and it's a huge thing. What do you mean? Just in the details. They just feel like little details. It's huge. Once you step into it, it's huge. If you don't have medical records, obviously you can't match a surrogate, or if you got an incorrect answer.
00:07:59
Speaker
an insurance review because you reviewed it yourself, I piece can waste $30,000 on it unnecessarily insurance positive or something. Sure. Well, and I think that that's that little piece that I think that makes us so unique. And I mean, gosh, we've seen it. And I know we've seen it evolve over the industry, me for only that short amount of time. And then I know you've seen it for as long as you've been in the industry of the social media aspect and people matching you know on their own and independent journeys and things like that. And a lot of people think, oh, it's Let's just find our surrogate. We're going to go have a baby. It's going to be great. And there's those details. You don't know what you don't know. And I tell into the parents that every day you don't know what you don't know. You think it's like you said. And then once I you know kind of talk about the details with them and all of those things, I think.
00:08:47
Speaker
broadened, you know, kind of blows your mind all that goes into a surrogacy journey. Um, for sure. Yeah, for sure. Absolutely. Absolutely. So kind of maybe piggybacking off of that, that's one part, but what do you think a intended parent and a potential gestational carrier can expect when they start the process with us? This is a marathon and not a sprint. Oh, yes. It's a journey for reason a journey for reason. I think one of the really interesting things is with our agency, most of us have all been carriers. So when I tell them we're going to walk you through it from like.
00:09:23
Speaker
the beginning to the end and beyond is totally true. Like through all of the things, we are going to be ah here for you. We are going to help advocate for you. You are a person, your family. Like we care for you as a person and your family. And it's really important to me for that. They understand that because that isn't the case with all agencies. Sure. So I think that's something really for if people are shopping or looking at different agencies, that's what we can bring to the table. Yeah. Yeah. yeah Well, and going back on the, you don't know what you don't know, that education piece. Absolutely. With surrogates and intended parents. Yes, exactly. Exactly. I mean, we're going to, an intended parent's going to sit down and hear about the process from start to finish right with full transparency. ye and an edge And a surrogate is going to hear about what's happening ah along the way, for sure.
00:10:17
Speaker
Full transparency is kind of our jam. yeah Oh, yeah. Because I mean, it would be so easy to just say like, oh, everything's going to be great. Don't worry. You don't need to know about that. You don't need to worry about that. I'm like, no. Here are all the possible concerns. Here's everything that could go wrong in this instance. Here's why this person is not perfect, but why we think that they're a good match. you know Because knowing everything you know up front is key to making sure that you're getting the relationship you want. So we want everybody to tell us the truth. Tell us all of the things so that we can find the best person to match you with. yeah Because if you're just like, whatever they want, whatever they want, whatever they want, well, tell me what you want so I can make sure we can get you that. Like, you gotta tell us. Yeah, yeah. No, for sure. I mean, the transparency aspect is huge because I think it's so, use I mean, it's so easy to want to, we wanna create that picture of hope. Absolutely. Everything's gonna be great.
00:11:13
Speaker
But it can't be a false picture of hope. Yeah. yeah They've been disappointed enough. Exactly. um No, I love that. I love that. And I think. you know Lauren, you said, tell me what you want. We're gonna do everything we can to figure that out. I feel like that speaks into we get to know you. We wanna know you. Good. Yeah. Yeah. No, we do. We do wanna know you. But why is that so important? Because I feel like it's just so easy. We can kind of almost create, I mean, I hate to say the word, but like a machine, if you will, of we're gonna get you in, we're gonna go through. it's yeah know we got We got the process down. We all know the process.
00:11:52
Speaker
But why is that so important if someone is, you know, kind of quote chopping agencies, if you will? ah So I am the person that talks to the carriers immediately after they fill out their application. And I'm going to ask them all of the you know about their questions. and like And I'm going to truly ask them, what are you looking for? There's no right or wrong. Like we really want to know. We want to know what you are looking for as a carrier. um And with our agency, we let them pick out the intended parents. We are going to show them intended parents or families or people who have answered questions most compatible with what they say. We show them their profiles and they get to pick one, two, three or whatever, um who they want to work with. It's so important that they have the the best
00:12:36
Speaker
relationship or the best match, and we are going to help them find that. We have a great matching team that will help in ensure they make the right match based on those answers that they've had. We're not going to pressure them yeah into changing their mind for
Commitment and Patience in Surrogacy
00:12:50
Speaker
a match. If they're not comfortable terminating a pregnancy for any reason, we're not going to say the intended parents want you to. We're going to say, let's get some different intended parents. like Let's only choose like-minded people for your match. Exactly. yeah No, for sure, for sure. but But why is that important? Because I think what I feel like, a you know, that's not the case for a lot of right agencies. yeah It prevents problems later down the road too though, right? You know, if we met someone who really didn't want to terminate a pregnancy, but we convinced her that the chances were so low, she didn't need to worry about it. And then God forbid, it was a baby who, you know, it was incompatible with life. And that was something we intend to parents desired.
00:13:30
Speaker
we've got a huge problem on our hands, yeah or a circuit who you know doesn't want a certain vaccine. And things like huge problems can develop later on if like-minded matches are made yeah in the beginning. So if we can start from the very beginning, making sure that matches are made where everyone agrees on all those important things, prevents really big problems later down the road, and makes the job for our coordinators a lot easier. I was gonna say, isn't it so great that we have those conversations before all of that? yeah yeah Trust is essential in this relationship as much as we can put everything on paper and say this is what we're agreeing to and this is what's going in the contract.
00:14:11
Speaker
you need to trust the person that is carrying your baby. And part of choosing the intended parents is you're connecting to their story. You're invested in their baby and completing their family in the match. It's a personal relationship where you share common values, you share this common goal. It takes the transactionalness out of it. Yes. Yeah, I mean, I think that I feel like that's such a ah common myth is that transactional piece. Yeah. And we I mean, it is it's the relationships and that's the I mean, that's what we do. Matching team, the best that we can and education wise, the best that we can to to bring that forward. What would you say, you know, is or maybe sign of some of those? I mean, I know, Lauren, you said trust is so huge.
00:15:04
Speaker
What would you say to maybe potential intended parents and surrogates or potential women who are thinking about becoming surrogates? What would you say is so important to know as they are discerning if this is their next step as in their process?
00:15:19
Speaker
I would just say it's a commitment. It's a little, it's a commitment of your time. um You and your family just kind of know the timeline. And i I do share, there is a timeline and I do share that with them. It isn't going to be a quick, you know, three month process. Like you're having a VB for somebody. Yeah. So just I try to tell them, and that goes back to the education, everything that is involved. So it's really important for them to commit, to commit to it. You're committing to this family as well, that you're going to help them. So it's really important to make sure you're like, You're on board, your husband's on board, or your spouse, your whole family is supportive for you, what that looks like. Well, I feel like don't rush this process. Well, I was going to say patience is what I would have answered. Yeah. I mean, if you want to do something that you're so excited about, you're like, I want to go right now, right now, right now. Yeah.
00:16:08
Speaker
that to That's hard because sometimes when you rush things, you miss things, and so they feel like, oh, they're slowing me down. I could have gone sooner. But we want you to go when your cycle is ready. We want you to go when your body is optimum to this screening appointment. We sure want you to be successful. yeah So we want to check all the boxes. We want to make sure we're doing everything the right way. We want to give you the best chance. with the right parents, at the right clinic, and sometimes that just goes a little bit slower than, okay, you can just have this first match that you thought of that everything's going to be perfect. yeah Faster isn't better. Right. Yes. Yes. Faster is not better. Faster is not better. No, for sure. Well, and I think, you know, it's, again, I think people look at the, um,
00:16:56
Speaker
the fun part ah about it. And there is that whole matching and education process. yeah You don't know what you don't know, yeah which is so important for both potential intended parents and surrogates. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So they're going to, a gestational carrier is going to meet with you and then they get to meet with me and we get to chat about the whole process. And then intended parents, they get to talk with you, Megan. And again, more transparency, which is so important. Absolutely. Yeah. And then I think what is so cool is that we all meet as a team. Yes.
00:17:32
Speaker
Every week. But why? It's vital. It's vital. Each of us has a different role and a different hand, like a piece of the puzzle. Like if I only know medical records, I can only speak from that perspective. And I might have a red flag in the medical records, but I don't know any of the other conversations that have been had. And my one red flag could be nothing. It could be something. But you guys eat. There are errors in medical records. There definitely are. And medical records. But you guys, having had conversations, can speak to that. Like, oh, that's not what she said. So that gives us a chance to circle back and clear up the medical records or to verify. um And so I think us all kind of working together really helps paint the bigger picture and to see the full like, OK, we're ready. This girl is ready. and
00:18:23
Speaker
She's done all the things and she's prepared and we've all collaborated and yeah, it's huge. I think another thing is we we all want to get to know the circuit. We all want to make a connection. We all want to make sure that we're getting her the best match. And when we interviewed to work for this company, how many interviews did you guys have? How many people did you have to meet for that to happen? Like a lot. Several. Because it's the same thing. like We want to really know you. We want to connect. We want to make sure that this is the right fit for you and that we can get you the right match for you. So you are going to get to hear from all of us and learn from all of us and let all of us learn about you so that you can get exactly what you're looking for out of this process, which I hope is joy because that's the thing. like It is so amazing to change someone's life forever in this way that we can create a family. and
00:19:17
Speaker
there's so many things that can go wrong and so many stories and so many people who are doing it the wrong way with without the integrity and not for the right reasons and there are so many surrogates being taken advantage of because they don't know and they're not being educated and they're just being told we're gonna give you this money right now and you go match with these parents and you don't get to know anything about them you don't get to have this relationship you you don't get any of the say so or the voice and that's the complaints that we get when surrogates come to us like oh this was my terrible experience and so We've learned how to make it the best, how to do the best. Yeah, I mean, well, we see the whole person. We see the whole person. What would you say are maybe some of, you know, Meg, like those most common questions that you get from intended parents when they're getting higher education? Absolutely. um When do we have to pay? Funny questions, of course.
00:20:05
Speaker
yeah Oh, it's a huge financial commitment. Of course. And we've got to be upfront about that. And we're going to be honest about that as part of the process. But um what is different about our agencies than most of them is they don't pay anything until they're matched. And so it's really important to us that we don't promise them the world and then they give us $30,000 and then we're not able to produce um You know what we promised and so it and never I always tell them and never want this to feel like a bait-and-switch where we promised you x y and z and then we couldn't deliver on that and so That's why we don't you know, that's why we don't want their money into their match and that means we present them a circuit that they like and her medical records are cleared and we've done a match meeting and we've all agreed to work together and then that's when we'll open that and escrow account and start the process so uh yeah they ask my money we talk about that try to be really transparent about that um how long is it going to take us to match sure and i think like you talked about earlier a lot of agencies operate where they have a list of waiting intended parents and you know number
00:21:12
Speaker
five up and the number five surrogate up, it's a match and on they go, kinda like Lauren was talking about. yeah But that doesn't ensure the best match. And it doesn't ensure that everyone's happy. And it doesn't ensure that the best relationship develops. And so I kind of explain that. We don't have a list in which you become number 51. And the number 51 surrogate up, there you go. like There's not a list like that. You don't take precedence. because you know But rather, um it's really important that you fill out your profile to make clear what your desires are
Navigating the Surrogacy Journey
00:21:40
Speaker
and what what's non-negotiable versus what's a preference. and um yeah And so it might be one month and it might be nine months. And I don't can't i can't tell you that. But as I look at those preferences and non-negotiables, I am better able to you know to ballpark what that but that weight is going to look like at the end of the day. you know We can't. I promise you that, but we'll keep you informed during the process. yeah Stay in touch. You'll know what we're doing. Well, I think that's what's so great about our team is that the time aspect is can be such a push-pull. You can make a lot of emotional decisions and we get to sit there and say, just wait for better.
00:22:17
Speaker
right like And we'll say that. and and And Lauren will say that. And I'll say that when they see a profile that is, you know, and they feel pulled to to accept it, the intended parents. They feel pulled to accept it because they're ready. And that we're happy to be transparent and say, yeah, you're right. i don't I don't know that this is your best fit. I think we can do better. I think we can find a better fit for you. Hang with us. We can do this because, again, it's going to prevent so many so potential problems down the line. and Well, our goal is that good relationship, right? we want I mean, we want that happy ending for you, but we want that happy journey for you. Right. Would that match work? Possibly. But yeah, but it will would it be the journey that everybody's hoping for, you know? Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. What advice would you want to give to a potential surrogate before she starts this process?
00:23:11
Speaker
I would say do your research. what i mean yes Okay. This is my best and biggest advice. Don't let Facebook groups dictate what groups or what agency you're going to work with. Ooh. Like do your own research, contact them, interview them, ask them, what can you offer me? What makes you different than other agencies? Um, yes, that's what I would say. Yeah. yeah That research piece is huge. Huge.
00:23:38
Speaker
and And for IPs and GCs, I think, don't let fear hold you back. I know as a surrogate, i it took me a long time to take that first step and to decide to do my first journey just because I was scared. yeah and so And I think for IPs, too, that it's hard for them to believe that this could end in success. Everything's ended in failure and disappointment. And I think it's hard for them to believe, too, that it's actually going to work this time. And it's so scary to commit to that. so um But we have been able to see so many happy families created. And so many beautiful babies born that have erased years of you know pain and heartbreak. And so I think just not letting fear um hold you back and trusting that.
00:24:18
Speaker
Yeah, the process. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And you have a team. You have a team behind you. Absolutely. Where that first start, and then you're going to keep having that team. Yeah. And that's consistent throughout this whole process. I think it's super important that you listen to your gut feeling. Mmm. But you don't know why. Ask questions. Yes. because there's a reason. Like, when the match is, you've learned everything you need to know about those people in the profile that you're seeing. The match meeting isn't to learn new information. The match meeting is like a vibe check. Like, okay, oh, they're what I thought they were. Okay, these are cool people. They're real. Like, we can totally go through this process together. I feel comfortable. It's that, like, you can just see it on their faces. Everybody just starts to relax about seven minutes in. This is a real, these are real people. We're really doing this thing. My kids like that first blind date that turns into like, okay, now I have a boyfriend. Like it just.
00:25:20
Speaker
For sure. For sure. But if you get off that match meeting and you go. I don't think that was it. My gut just says that wasn't it. That's okay too. That's okay too. And we can, we'll start over and we'll make it okay. And so don't feel pressured, you know? Well, yeah, I think going back to what you said, Lauren, towards the beginning was we are not going to pressure you. We are here to find you, your person, your people. Like that's our goal. That's our goal. This whole, this whole way through. And even when Begg was talking about like the intended parents want to know when do we pay?
00:25:52
Speaker
And the thing is, is that they don't pay until we've already made a match. And right that keeps the integrity in it. Like, I don't have a dog in the height. Like, I want you to get the best weekend in parent for you. I'm not trying to get a specific, all I want is what you want. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. For sure. So, and, and it, I mean, I, have I always say like judgment for his own, I, cause I want to hear what you want. yeah Like you nothing you say is going to like, yeah Yeah, I want to hear it. I want to hear it all. I want to know what you want. regard yeah yeah That honesty is huge. It is. We have to know what your mind is. You're too much like mine did. Like you have to yeah be honest and vulnerable. Vulnerable is hard. We tell Anthony and parents a lot. I need you to be a little more vulnerable.
00:26:34
Speaker
Vulnerable is hard. They've been vulnerable this whole way through. They want to protect themselves because they've been hurt by everything. So that's hard. But connection is built through vulnerability. And so it's only when they share that pain and that story and how much they want this that the surrogate connects to that file. Connects to the story and wants to help. I'm going to help. Yeah, for sure, for sure. And we are that safety net. We are that safety net. we're going like we I mean, truly, we're going to be with you every step of the way, both intended parents and surrogates alike. I mean, and and we're going to be with you through that whole entire process. What would you say is your favorite part about what you do?
00:27:17
Speaker
I mean, this sounds generic, but baby pictures. Oh my God, I love the baby pictures. Man. And I, yeah, an intended a parent or a surrogate that sends me a baby picture. and I mean, new fresh hospital pictures. Are you kidding me? It's a miracle every time, every time. And you know and especially because we know their story, we know their journey, and it gets me every time. I see those dreams come true and that pain disappear. It just, it gets me every time. It never gets old. Never never never never I Love the just like hearing them say like I have the perfect match like after Like you know Lauren and Meg they did it they helped me find like the perfect match. Yeah like That's why we do what we do and it's so great to see that. I just I love it Well, and again, like that kind of speaks into just we do we work so hard for that. That's our goal. That's our goal. And that's not to say that there's not going to be bumps, but our goal is you're what you've
Team Dedication and Work Environment
00:28:20
Speaker
you feel supported. You're with that team. You're with your perfect match. Yeah, absolutely. My favorites even before the pictures at the end that get Meg is mine is the we got a heartbeat. We have a yeah we got a baby yeah and when the coordinators reach out and tell me like this one's got it and i I just I can see myself in the match meeting and talking to them and it's like that full circle experience of like that's the hope turning into joy like we did it.
00:28:45
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, I love that. I love that. What about you, Court? So I am one of the first people that the intended parents talked to after their match. Yeah. And they are so excited to get started and what's next and help me out. And so I think that like. hearing how excited they are and then helping them to just have some education about what things are going to look like and reassuring them. If there's bumps, you can always come back and then getting to tell them like, oh my gosh, you are going to love your coordinator. They're going to reach out to you and kind of making that next point, touch point for them so they know like what to expect next.
00:29:21
Speaker
And then on the flip side of it, like having gone through the process of onboarding a surrogate and knowing like, oh, these are her intended parents. I get to see like both sides of it, which is really cool. If I get stuck in a onboarding process with a surrogate and we are like going around trying to get her insurance book, which is super common and super frustrating, sometimes weeks and weeks and I'm like, hey, text, you know, hey, it's your favorite person asking if you were able to get the book yet. you know all the jokes or whatever. But because I'm in these long conversations, sometimes weeks, to be building some sort of like rapport, then when they get a beta and it's like, oh my gosh, my beta was 1600, I have no piece of that process once they've onboarded.
00:30:08
Speaker
but they still come back and tell me and they're so excited because we have connected on that side. I love it, I love it. We're all a tiny piece of the convo. I wouldn't have even cleared without you. You're a huge piece and I think that's so cool about our team is that I'm so proud and confident and every hand these people are going to touch. I'm perfectly confident in what Courtney is going to then tell the intended parents. I'm perfectly confident in and the care that the coordinator is going to provide. I'm perfectly confident in the match between that Lauren's going to facilitate. And it's really cool to be a part of a team where I know the why behind every hand that's going to touch them and the integrity behind every hand that's going to touch them. We don't have a weak link that.
00:30:48
Speaker
yeah Well, it's that constant communication. We do all have that big picture. yeah So it you know from someone's perspective they're gonna hear from Barry or me or Courtney or Meg or Lauren, but we are all seeing it I talked to pretty much all of you every day i that Yeah, some of you more than that Maybe ten times a day yeah So exactly sos there's a lot of conversations going on. We're always invested in the whole picture of everyone. And it isn't like, who am I going to get when I call today? like Does anybody know what's going on with my case? and ah Oh, everybody knows. Everybody knows what's going on. Yes, absolutely. And I think that makes it so so special. Courtney, you said earlier you were like you saw that one part
00:31:38
Speaker
And then when we all get together, we all see that whole picture, that whole, whole picture. And that's so important. And every cog in the wheel is so important. Yeah, absolutely. yeah I think for me in the education, I i get to meet kind of that one final time as we start showing intended parent profiles. yeah And when those girls see, Oh, my gosh. It's real ones. There's like really people. It's been medical records. It's been gathering this. It's been answering questions and OK, here we ah go. It's like it's like that next starting line and that excitement in their eyes when they see those. Oh, my gosh. It's so fun. yeah It's so fun. I love it. I love it so much. OK, my favorite question, you guys. What fills your cup this morning? Literally or figuratively?
00:32:34
Speaker
coffee. Always. Always. So we are currently at our retreat with her. Yeah we are. And we've had three days together and just waking up and seeing all of my teammates and just like you know the camaraderie and just being together. Yeah. Maybe so happy to be a part of this amazing team. I know that's like it's totally cliche but it's not like I sincerely mean we've had the greatest three days and I just love being a part of this team. But it's so true. yeah So, Barrett kind of stole my answer. Oh, I'm sorry. You mentioned earlier that it is my birthday. It is. And the thing is, is that the people I work with are some of my closest and dearest friends. And just getting to spend so much time with you guys all the time. And like, being in person and not just seeing you over the phone and over Teams and all the time. But like, having my closest people to me on my birthday, that's what I feel like. Happy birthday. I can totally piggyback on that. I think like we work together professionally, but there is just a care and concern, a genuine love and care for each other that it doesn't always stay professional. Like we actually care what's happening in our personal lives and are supportive and loving and
00:33:49
Speaker
I don't know what I would do with without you girls. Yeah. Yeah. And I love that our clients feel that because they do become part of this family. That extended family. Yeah, absolutely. We are a big happy family. Oh, we're getting happy. Happy family. Oh
Staying Connected with the Agency
00:34:10
Speaker
my gosh. I love you guys. You're amazing. Love me what have you. Love you. Thank you so much for joining us on this episode of Me, You and Who. We appreciate your time and hope you enjoyed our discussion today.
00:34:24
Speaker
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00:35:17
Speaker
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