Enchanted City w/ Sunny the Fun Fairy | Ep. 153

In this episode of the Biz/Dev Podcast David and Gary flutter their fairy wings in an enchanted conversation with Shani Seidel, known to those of us in the greater Raleigh areas as Sunny the Fun Fairy. They chat about legacy, life, and finding your joy.

Links:
Sunny's Website

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The Podcast

David Baxter has been designing, building, and advising startups and businesses for over ten years. His passion, knowledge, and brutal honesty have helped dozens of companies get their start.

In Biz/Dev, David and award-winning Creative Director Gary Voigt talk about current events and how they affect the world of startups, entrepreneurship, software development, and culture.

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Shani: It's incredible. I think one of the most amazing experiences is when I see a child I've never seen before and they see me and their eyes light up and they run toward me and I hug them and I'm like, hi, who are you?

You know, children just, they hug me. And when parents. Allow me to hold their children. Are you kidding me? It's like the highest compliment in the world

[00:00:26] David: welcome to the business podcast, the podcast about developing your business. I'm David Baxter, your host joined per usual by Gary Voigt. What does that mean?

[00:00:34] Gary: Hey, how you doing? Got

through another hurricane down here. All cleaned up and ready for the next one, I guess.

[00:00:40] David: That's right.

More importantly, we are joined by Shani Seidel, who is also Sunny the Fun Fairy. So it's very fun. Welcome.

[00:00:48] Shani: Thank you. Thank you. Glad to be here with my friends. Thank you for inviting me.

[00:00:52] David: Sure. So I have known Shani for over a year.

[00:00:58] Shani: Huh. Yeah. 

[00:01:01] David: found out that she is the Fun Fairy. And so that was very fascinating. If you have video, if you're not watching our video on this case, you're really missing out because she's in full regalia. Normally it's not worth watching me and Gary, but she looks great today.

What's funny is I think I've told you this story, but I'm not sure. When I met you, which was not in any fairy situations.

I was in, it was in a more of a businessy situation

and I noticed you had fairy hair, which is,

I only know 'cause I have a daughter is

the tinsel, is that what that is?

It's

[00:01:31] Shani: It's magical fairy hair. It's most whimsical fairy hair in the world. Absolutely.

[00:01:35] David: You tie in color things. And my daughter loved it when she was really little. So I'm like, she's at a business function with fairy hair.

And I'm like, this is a lovely human. So then I find out that you were actually a fairy that made my day.

So tell me about Sunny and how this came to be. 

[00:01:52] Shani: What a gift and a pleasure and just a blessing to be here with you guys. Thank you again for inviting me. I share, this is probably the most common question that people ask me because it's not every day that you meet you know, a fun fairy that just wants to sprinkle seeds of perpetual joy throughout Raleigh, which of course is my mission as an artist.

Sunny, the fun fairy. I'm a very strong Christian. I love the Lord and I love, love, loved my, my heavenly father who has been in heaven now for eight years. But I saw my dad be a professional clown from age 50 to 73. And during those 23 years, I saw my dad just bring so much joy to families and children and his community.

He was always you know, at some kind of day in the park or carnival or festival, and I just saw the impact that he made. And You know, I've never had a calling to be a clown or to do what he did the way he did it. But about two years ago truly just a heavenly breeze blew through my heart and my wings appeared and I just really you know, I'm It's so exciting for me as Sunny the Fun Fairy to be able to just enjoy humanity, love on them, celebrate them really be their champion and to know that I'm honoring my father and his legacy and the joy he brought to so many for so long is just really the icing on the cake.

[00:03:23] David: I love your story and I want to ask what, and you might not know this because you might have been too young, but what made your father want to become a clown at the age of 50?

[00:03:33] Shani: Like me, my dad had always been in some sales role always just love, love, love talking to people. Like, when I go to the grocery store, you know, he and I would just meet everybody in the store. We would always just chit chat all the time. And I truly believe my dad just found he always, of course, loved children.

Of course, just me and my sister. He always enjoyed Halloween, passing out candy to Children. But I think my dad just always had a very childlike spirit. That was very contagious. And, you know, I was in college when he told me, because his 50th birthday party, he said, you know, I'm I want a clown theme and my sister and I were like planning this special birthday and we're like, what are you talking about?

And, you know, we didn't have the maturity. We didn't have really the awareness. It wasn't our calling. It was his. And we, you know, honestly, I just didn't get it for a long time. The same way some people don't get sunny. Okay. But as he got more and more into it and as he, you know, got different costumes and he would, you know, receive different awards or be noticed more and more in the community, it's just I just, I respected him so much for doing what he did and it was amazing to me when we knew heaven was calling that we planned a celebration party for my dad and we invited like a hundred people and so many of them were his clown friends.

And so instead of having a funeral, we had a celebration of life for him two weeks before he passed. And it was amazing that all these people showed up. In costume and in makeup. And it was just such a beautiful celebration. And again, I just saw that impact and it's, it was just, he just was so cool.

And I just, I still talk about him all the time. It's he's still within me and it's really so cool, David, because now I get to see what he saw you know, at festivals and children laughing and smiling and. You know.

It's incredible. I think one of the most amazing experiences is when I see a child I've never seen before and they see me and their eyes light up and they run toward me and I hug them and I'm like, hi, who are you?

You know, children just, they hug me. And when parents. Allow me to hold their children. Are you kidding me? It's like the highest compliment in the world.

So I just think it in Raleigh, you know a fairy fits in so nicely being the enchanting City of Oaks You know, this is such a creative Community here and there's so many Opportunities just to sprinkle joy at so many festivals and community events.

So I'm just having a ball 

[00:06:12] David: So how did you mention you have a sister? How did she take it when you wanted to be a fairy? 

[00:06:17] Shani: So it's interesting. She's really coming on board now, like two years later. I think for her, she's not like my dad. She doesn't have the same I am extremely extrovert. Extroverted shocker you know, sales have a million friends. Talk to everyone. My sister's much quieter, much more introverted and much more logical.

And she's playing a business role behind the scenes with Sonny. But she's starting to get it more and more. And. You know, but it's not a calling that she's had on her life. It's what I believe God has given to me. But ultimately my sister, Robin is just, you know, she's just my absolute best friend and she's really championing Sonny as well.

[00:06:59] David: That's fun. So let me get practical. So business wise, right? That's our focus.

[00:07:04] Shani: Yep. 

[00:07:05] David: Sunny is not a hobby. She is a business.

[00:07:09] Shani: correct. Yes. LLC.

[00:07:10] David: that work

from a practical perspective?

[00:07:13] Shani: Absolutely. So I have three different tiers of my business. One is enchanting and empowering experiences for women where women gather together and I lead them through creative affirmations, events. It's a whole experience around creativity and whimsy and really allowing their inner child to fly.

The second component is magical moments and memories for children. And I actually just had a wonderful birthday party this past weekend, which was just so much fun. And you know, again, that's another stream for me. And then also I do a lot of community work, a lot of children's festivals where I am selling cute whimsical items out of my fairy garden tent, whether that's at Moore square or Fletcher park or you know, multiple parks around downtown Raleigh.

And you know, whether it's women paying for events that I Create or partner with another whimsical character, or when folks will hire me as a character. And then, like I said, thirdly like for example, I was just out yesterday at the walk for hope foundation, 36 annual walk to raise money and awareness for mental health issues.

And so a lot of times organizations, non profits will invite Sonny to come and be a part of the event and really help champion the spirit of the of the atmosphere as well.

[00:08:36] David: Do you foresee this as being, you know, your full time job in the future? Or is this just something you really enjoy doing? It could be both. That's fine. Just curious.

[00:08:47] Shani: you know, I really, I see, and it's such a, it's, I get so emotional talking about it because, you know, I feel that there is such a huge seed that has been planted in my heart that I truly just don't even, I'm trying to still understand. And I believe that God is going to continue to bless this business and my efforts.

So that I can be really a beacon of light to more people, to more members of our community, to more families. And eventually, yes, be able to, you know, fly full time as Sunny the Fun Fairy. But because I'm still, you know, a young fairy, if you will. And I'm you know, really trying to figure things out as I go along.

I'm giving myself time but my passion is really driving me. And it's what's fueling my energy to be able to you know, carry full time work as well as full time passion. And really over the last, I think I've had an event every weekend since, Early July. And so you do 40 hours during the week and then you do, you know, dressing up and events and things each weekend after weekend.

I've got to be passionate to manage that schedule. And that's really at the heart of who I am. 

[00:10:01] David: Very cool. So when I started BigPixel, I, people would ask me all the time, are you a freelancer? And I would say, no, I'm the first employee. of my company so that I would give them a different feel, right? I'm not looking just to fill my bucket. I'm looking to have an infinite bucket and keep growing it and build a company.

I ask you, I say that to ask you, do you see this as filling your bucket or do you see Sunny, the fun fairy, And friends, as it were, as a potential that you would have lots of buckets that you would eventually feel, you know, as you've eventually if you became full time and this is like 40 hours, I don't even know if that's a thing for a fairy, but it's a full time, I can just imagine clocking in.

[00:10:47] Shani: Yeah. Yeah.

[00:10:48] David: do you see this as something that you would expand beyond yourself or are you happy with it? Just being about your character, 

[00:10:55] Shani: You know, I appreciate that question. I was actually just chatting with a friend about that this weekend. I feel right now, David, that you know, Sunny is so special to me and she is the driving force behind what I'm trying to create here locally as the Raleigh Ferry. So right now, local and just me on my own is really where I'm putting my time and energy.

However, I do believe just in the nature of this world, the world needs more joy, it needs more light, it needs more fun, it needs more levity, more creativity. more whimsy and wonder. And so I believe Sonny could eventually you know, grow so that she has her shimmering sunbeams potentially across the country and in potentially in other you know, creative cities throughout the country.

I think that is part of the plan and my heart, I don't have any of that figured out yet. But I do believe that my mission is so strong and is so vital and it's so well received that I'd love to see others you know, join me in this in this kind of happiness and joyful role.

But for now I'm gonna stick with Sunny the Fun Fairy, the Raleigh Fairy and see what I can continue to do and the impact I can make here. 

[00:12:13] David: Your mission reminds me, do you remember during early on in COVID? John Krasinski, the guy in the office, he's

now a huge movie star he came out with, was it daily? Weekly? I think it was weekly. And it was like, A Dose of Good News?

[00:12:28] Shani: Huh. 

[00:12:28] Gary: weekly good news podcast or broadcast

or

[00:12:30] David: yeah, and, now he's super charismatic and everyone loves him in general, but that got so big so fast.

He didn't, and one of the, it brings up a larger point I think is really interesting that during COVID, one of the things I think that was a really fun side effect is all of these actors and very talented people were suddenly bored.

And they started doing stuff just to, to fill in that, they're creative, they can't help it

and they had to do something and they started creating all this amazing stuff, including this podcast or it was a YouTube video, right?

Yeah, it was YouTube. And he just, he was just like, you know, the world is not a great place right now, so I'm going to show off all the happy things that

[00:13:10] Shani: There you go. I love it. He's 

[00:13:12] David: had a million plus followers in like less than a month. It was crazy.

And he eventually sold it to CBS, which they did absolutely nothing.

But that's sad, mature. But it reminds me of that same thing. That same heartbeat

Good news in the world. And

I think generally speaking, I think almost everyone would agree with that. However, good news doesn't sell right. That's the hard part. And now in

Fairyland. With kids and women, the interesting side to me. I get the kids part,

[00:13:39] Shani: Huh. Yep.

[00:13:40] David: changing gears like mid sentence. I'm

[00:13:41] Shani: You're fine.

[00:13:42] David: But I get the kids part, birthdays, all that just logically makes sense to me.

The women part is interesting. So tell me more about that.

[00:13:50] Shani: So I've always, you know, as a woman, I went to Meredith college, you know, private Baptist women's college. Back in the day I was, you know, sales director with Mary Kay cosmetics. I've always just been like a real strong champion for women. And as a single mom for so many years, my son is now almost 23, you know, I just know women.

Women need each other and women need a champion whether they're married or not, whether they have children or not women need one another and women need to be in a community of sisterhood. And one of the things that, and it was actually the very first time I ever hosted an event before I had A name or a logo or a costume or an LLC or a website or anything I just invited girlfriends over to my condo for a quote fairy party And during that everyone got a fairy name.

Everyone had wings. Everyone had flower crowns. We focused on Affirmations. I had beautiful whimsical music I had a bloom bouquet where I had bought lots of beautiful flowers from trader joe's and we made floral arrangements and You know, we had food fit for fairies and I just saw the camaraderie between women.

You know, we weren't talking about, you know, ex husbands or politics or child support or work drama. Women were just enjoying creativity. They were putting ribbons in their hair and they were just giggling and laughing. And I have replicated that type of experience multiple times. And even through team building events you know, I was hired by borrow the blooms and they brought me in as a team building experience.

And just to see the, I just know like through creativity and through play, people bond and connect in different ways. And the women's events have just been so much fun. And each time I share them and I host them or people invite me to collaborate and do one with them, I'm just reminded that, you know, Sunny, you're really on to something.

Women are, Women need this and and so that's something that I can offer to them. And helping women you know, just be silly or just let their hair down a little bit. And some of the conversations when women are in wings and they're coloring or they're, you know, making something with Play Doh and they're, you know, engaged in a creative activity.

Just the conversation just naturally unfolds. And I've created some friendships between women that didn't even know one another. But through one of my enchanting and empowering experiences, women now connect. So it's very special.

[00:16:26] Gary: I have a question.

[00:16:28] Shani: Huh. 

[00:16:29] Gary: I'm assuming that it takes a little bit of time to actually break through the outer barrier that they'll put in front of them with the I'm not going to act like a fairy around these people until everybody else does it. So have you noticed I'm sure there's some that it takes a little longer and some might interact right away,

I'm sure you've learned ways to counter that and have everybody get on the same

[00:16:51] Shani: Yep. 

[00:16:51] Gary: fairy page or I guess whatever you want to call it.

[00:16:54] Shani: Yeah, 

[00:16:55] David: fairy page. Nice. 

[00:16:57] Gary: I didn't know how to 

[00:16:58] Shani: worries. You know, 

[00:16:59] Gary: know,

fairies as well as you do, David,

[00:17:00] Shani: Yeah.

[00:17:01] David: It's true, man. I'm an expert.

[00:17:03] Shani: Yeah. You know, there's a perfect example. You know, I did this event with women. It was around around Valentine's Day. And, you know, I was meeting people at the door and welcoming them in and they didn't quite know what to think of me because they think they're just coming to a tea party.

And then there's this person dressed and she calls herself a fairy. Some of the testimonials that I have from that event are powerful. Even when one woman said, you know, I wasn't quite sure what to think of you when I first met you, I had such a great time and you know, I'm so glad I said yes to this event.

And you know, and I have to remind myself, you know, not everyone is going to get it. I didn't get it when my dad was dressing up, you know, not everyone's going to think this is the coolest thing in the world. Some people. You know, are going to judge me for wearing wings. Some people are, you know, going to think I'm, you know, what the hell's happened to you?

Why are you doing this? But what they don't receive is the joy. They're not hugging children. They're not holding children. They're not dancing in bubbles. They're not wiggling and giggling, you know, doing Sonny Says at story time at libraries. They're not talking with children about Do I Know the Tooth Fairy?

You know, it's so magical, and it's it's just really keeping me, you know, it's so magical. I turned 50 this year and it's amazing to me how sunny is just keeping me so young. 

[00:18:24] AD: BigPixel builds world class custom software and amazing apps. Our team of pros puts passion into every one of our projects. Our design infused development leans heavily on delivering a great experience for our clients and their clients. From startups to enterprises, we can help craft your ideas into real world products that help your business do better business. 

[00:18:54] David: Your message is so different than most women's messages that I hear. Again, obviously I'm way outside of my expertise,

but when I see the, it's usually girl boss, girl power, fierce this, fierce that,

It's women are strong. And not that I'm disagreeing with any of that, but that's the typical

Attitude of most women things empowerment.

That's

probably a better way and you're coming at it that and correct me if i'm wrong But

it's more of a whimsy more of a fun

more of a low stakes. Let's

have fun together Not necessarily empower one another

right? 

[00:19:32] Shani: Yeah, I use the word enchanting experience versus like empowerment because I want women to be, you know, like Here's a perfect example. One of the activities that I lead them through is having them create like a little, just whimsy box of fun. And one of the things is having them just choose and select different affirmations.

Like I'm smart, I'm strong, I'm talented. I'm, You know, accomplished, I'm driven, I'm ambitious, and I have all these affirmations and you can't hear or see those things and not feel better about yourself especially when other women are selecting kind of those same kinds of words. And, you know, I this hit me like a ton of bricks when I had an event where a woman teared up and she had her affirmation in her hand and, I could tell she was working through something.

And so I came around her and I put my wings around her and I was like, girlfriend, you good? You good? And she turned her affirmation slip around and it said, I matter. And that's all it said. And in that moment she got to know she mattered and I got to love on her, encourage her. And she's but I'm just a single mom.

I was like, hello, not just you are, you're an independent, confident, capable woman that God has chosen to help raise this child. Yes, you matter. Of course you matter. And it's experiences like that. You just, you know, I learned a great sentence going to Meredith college, which was, you just have to experience it.

And I think about that, like an enchanting, you know, encouraging experience with Sunny. You just have to experience it. You can't manufacture those moments. Or when I've seen, you know, embraces between different races of women and they just share, they just open up and they're doing it while they're coloring or they're doing it while they've got all these cool ribbons and fun things in their hair.

It's just so great. 

[00:21:28] David: You know, we talked to a lot of people, CEOs and stuff like that, and you hear a lot of jobs, but you don't hear a lot of callings. And so it's nice to,

it's nice to see that

[00:21:38] Shani: Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, and not everyone is Christian. Not everyone's gonna get that either. But that's the, just the most sincere word I can use. 'cause it's not like my whole life I wanted to be a fairy. I just, you know, I've always loved, I've always had a fairy garden.

I've always loved, you know, the idea. Butterflies and dragonflies. And there's you know, every time a seed is planted, a fairy is born. I've always just loved that kind of whimsy. But it's just, it is a calling on my life. And it is something that I feel very passionate about. And I believe God is using me in a mighty way and I don't have it all figured out yet, you know, but I'm trying just like any entrepreneur, just like anyone who has an idea.

It's not easy, but when you're passionate, it gets you up in the morning and it helps fuel that fire and passion in your heart to try one more time. 

[00:22:33] David: or if there was ever a better segue right there. Oh, were you gonna not gonna ask the final question?

[00:22:38] Gary: I had one more question that just popped in my head before the final question.

Does Sonny have a presence on social media for people to engage with

[00:22:47] Shani: I do. So you can find me on Facebook just sunny, the fun fairy and the same for Instagram, sunny, the fun fairy. I would love, you know, to invite you know, the listeners to follow sunny's flight, either on one or both. That would be an honor. And, you know, I share a lot of videos from events a lot of just motivational messages.

Yes. And of course, you know, my website is Sunnythefunfairy. com is where you can purchase my book, which is Sprinkling Seeds of Perpetual Joy. It's a story as well as a coloring book that's very unique. It's a one of a kind and it's Sunny's Flight Through Raleigh. 

[00:23:23] Gary: now as a fairy, what would you say your top three pieces of, I guess, advice or fun fairy factoids, whatever you want to call them for new businesses and startups,

[00:23:34] Shani: Absolutely. It all comes down to passion. I think the first thing is following your passion. You know, leaning into that passion. Trying to figure it out as you go, but don't give up if this is a passion for you Follow it. Follow it. Follow it. I think the next thing would be to share your passion.

Again, share it with your friends, your family, your advocates you know, your community, share your passion because you don't know who you don't know and who you might be able to make a connection with. Who might be able to help you, support you, elevate your brand give you some good advice give you some hard hard advice as well.

So I definitely, my second thing would be to. To share your passion and then I think the third would be to promote your passion I think there's a difference between just sharing it like hey, I'm doing this But really being your own megaphone and promoting your passion Whether it's through social media or it's through, you know Volunteering and promoting who you are and why you do what you do Because I think, you know, as an entrepreneur and as someone who's trying to do something outside the box if you don't have passion, it's not gonna, it's not gonna.

In my opinion it's not going to take flight. But when you do and you're excited about what you're doing or what you're offering your passion will help you fly above the challenges. Your passion will help you fly through the doubters or the naysayers. Your passion is what's going to help you just rise to the next level or the next step in your business or in your career journey. 

[00:25:20] David: Well said.

[00:25:21] Gary: especially with all the flight metaphors. Nice. 

[00:25:24] David: Way to steal the magic, Gary. 

[00:25:26] OUTRO: Hi, I'm Christy Pronto, Content Marketing Director here at BigPixel. Thank you for listening to this episode of the BizDev Podcast. We'd