Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Carissa Gould of Phoenix

We recently had the chance to connect with Carissa Gould and have shared our conversation below.

Carissa, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me right now is a juggling and balancing act. I’m a busy mama with 4 amazing sons who are all active in school and sports. My oldest son is a freshman in college, my twins are freshmen in high school and my youngest son is a 5th grader. From the minute I wake up, it’s full throttle! I love to cook and make sure my boys are well fed before they head off to school. The first thing I do is get the coffee brewing and head straight to cracking open some farm fresh eggs, searing canadian bacon, and toasting bagels on the griddle. Once I get everyone off to school, I typically take a bit of time to sip some coffee with no distractions, reaffirm some positive affirmations, and get ready for the day. There’s a lot of behind the scenes tasks to accomplish when you’re self employed. My creative brain is always thinking and designing up new creations and set ups. If I’m prepping for an event, I typically have several stores that I shop at to grab everything that I need. I’m shopping for supplies, food, and those extra special items that set your party apart from anything else. I sew all of my cute pin up style aprons too so if I’m not busy working, I’m busy sewing and designing new aprons. I just recently started selling them too, For custom orders, you can contact me directly. I try to get all my errands done while my boys are at school. As soon as they’re home, it’s back to cooking, cleaning up, and getting them to practice or attending their games. For my personal sanity I like to squeeze in several hikes or walks throughout the week. Filling up my own cup is what keeps me going! As mothers we are always over extending our time, love, mental health, and patience. It’s very important to protect your peace, let go of things that are weighing you down, and do kind loving things for yourself. Sunshine and the outdoors are my happy place so if I need a pick me up throughout the day, I take a brisk walk or bask in the sun, Time is going by at lightning speed, and my boys are growing up too fast. I just try and appreciate each day and the moments in time that I have to share with them, It’s essential to practice daily gratitude. There’s always something to be grateful for.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Carissa aka Mama. I am the owner and operator of Mama’s Dogs boutique hot dog cart and catering. I created and established my business in May of 2012. My business was born out of necessity to provide for my children as a single mom. I feel incredibly blessed for the super fun journey it’s been. Being self employed has given me the flexibility to be a hands on mom and provide for my boys. I named it Mama’s Dogs after them. When I created my business I had a vision in mind. I wanted it to be cute, aesthetically appealing, fun, and unlike anything anyone had ever seen. There are hot dog carts everywhere across the states and throughout the world, but you will only find 1 Mama’s Dogs. You can’t replicate the style, service, food, and the personality! There’s only 1 of me! lol! Customers always come back because the food is good, the service is stellar, and at Mama’s Dogs it’s like stepping back in time. It feels like you’re going to grandma’s house for your favorite meal that was prepared and served with a whole lotta love. Everyone walks away with full bellies and full hearts. On the menu I serve plump n juicy Vienna Beef hot dogs and polish dogs. There’s a large variety of fresh condiments for toppings. Additional items that are available for caterings are my delicious green chili shredded pork crunchy tacos (sloppy tacos), homemade cookies (4 flavors), gourmet cocoa served with a variety of toppings, and freshly squeezed lemonade, All of these items are made from scratch and my secret ingredient is added to each one! Can you guess what it is? Yep, the secret ingredient is love! Love makes everything taste and feel better. My specialty is catering parties and events. I love party planning, designing, and creating a vibe for your party. I have catered a large variety of events throughout the years…holiday parties, Christmas, St Patrick’s Day, Halloween, thanksgiving, fall festivals, movie nights, rodeo themed, baby showers, birthdays, car shows, farmer’s markets, and so much more! The styling and decor sets me apart from everyone else. I will change my decor and florals to match your color scheme and theme. At Mama’s Dogs you will always receive top notch service in the most fun, uplifting, and entertaining environment

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I would say that there have been moments throughout the years where I felt powerful, but I feel that in the last several years is really when I now know and believe that I am powerful. Life has been a journey of so many unforeseen circumstances, but somehow I made it through every single one of them. This journey of single motherhood has definitely made me feel the most powerful. I look at how amazing these little humans are that I created and it just makes me burst with joy, happiness, pride, strength, wonder, love, and confidence. You look at them and think we did it, I did it. You’re good people, and you are very smart capable loving humans, and I got to be a part of that! Parenting is definitely one of the most heartbreaking and rewarding journeys in life. There are stages and before you know it, you’ve/they’ve moved on from one stage and onto the next. Don’t blink because it goes by so fast! Being a business owner has also made me feel powerful. I get to be in control of my time. I can say yes or no to things. My time is valuable and as a mom of 4 active boys, I have to prioritize the things that matter most. Knowing my own worth and value and stepping into my power to tell people no when I was always the yes woman and people pleaser has been liberating.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering teaches us resiliency. Looking back on life sometimes you wonder why did this happen, why can’t it just be a bit easier, when will I catch a break?? Throughout the suffering and setbacks we learn who we truly are, we learn what is deeply rooted in us good and bad, we learn about our trauma and fears. Suffering has you dig deep into your soul, I must say that not everyone is capable of digging deep and finding the root of their suffering and not everyone is willing to allow the setbacks to make them a stronger better version of themselves. When you get through the muck and all the hard stuff, you appreciate everything more than you did before. You love yourself more for making it to the other side! Give yourself a round of applause and tell yourself you’re a badass! If success was easily handed to you, would you appreciate where you are? Would you take things for granted? Would you want to keep leveling up in life? Trials and tribulations keep our wheels turning, Ideas and creativity come out of suffering. Nobody wants to continue to suffer so what do you do to get out of your own way? Start with the smallest step or idea and build on that. The journey is part of the success.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
What you see is what you get. I’m authentic, genuine, funny, hardworking and would never NOT want to be the real me. But…I definitely have been judged most of my life because of the way I look. People immediately pass judgement without knowing anything about me. If you see me on the street, some might think oh look at her she must get everything that she wants. That is far from the truth, I have worked hard my entire life for everything that I have. I’ve been working since I was a little girl. I babysat at a very young age, had a paper route, was a lifeguard, waitress, model, flight attendant, most importantly a mom (CEO of a herd of boys), and a business owner. I really don’t remember a time when I wasn’t working or had a job. I believe in always being honest with myself and others. Authenticity is powerful and rare these days.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I am definitely doing what I was born to do. I’ve always been in the customer service/hospitality industry. Various jobs throughout my childhood, teenage years, and early 20’s all led me to where I am. I’ve lived in different parts of the country (Nebraska, Arizona, New Hampshire) and traveled throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. When traveling I always liked to explore the mom and pop breakfast joints, cafes, and coffee shops. I was inspired by the wholesomeness of these places. They always had the best food, the best coffee, and great service. I also was born to be a mother. Motherhood is my greatest joy and success in life. I want nothing more in life than to see them succeed in their own lives and live out their dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mamasdogs.com
• Instagram: Mamasdogs
• Facebook: Mama’s Dogs LLC