Tell us what you think!!!

In this episode, Ellie sits down with Stephanie McCulley, founder of the nonprofit WillPowered Autism, to talk about her unpredictable, fun and chaotic days, and her mission to empower families navigating autism. Stephanie opens up about her son’s journey with spelling to communicate, how her identity is shifting after seven years as a stay-at-home mom, and the daily routines that keep her grounded.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to become a morning person: How Stephanie became a morning person with 5 AM wake-ups, workout classes, journaling, and quiet time before the chaos begins.
• Big moves: Moving from Chicago to coastal Florida for a slower pace and better support for her autistic son, William.
• Launching WillPowered Autism: Helping families afford therapies and access life-changing communication tools like spelling to communicate.
• Finding balance: Managing two school schedules, therapies, and after-school activities while carving out time for herself.
• Support systems that matter: Using a “mother’s helper,” nearby family, and outsourcing guilt-free to make room for what matters most.
• Self-care that sticks: From dry brushing and skincare to reading before bed and sauna/cold plunges—her realistic rituals that help her recharge.

Stephanie’s story is a reminder that routines can evolve, community can grow in unexpected places, and purpose can come from even the hardest seasons.

Follow Stephanie

@stephaniejanemcculley

@willpoweredautism

References

Melissa Wood Health

Will Powered Autism

Spellers Documentary

Taylor Dukes Bone Broth Protein Powder

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Join host Ellie Rineck for this week’s conversation with Dr. Saumya Dave — psychiatrist, novelist, and mom of two young boys living in Brooklyn, NY. Saumya shares what it looks like to balance a clinical practice, a writing career, and family life in a city that never slows down. From tag-teaming mornings with her husband to building community, this episode is full of real talk about ambition, motherhood, and learning to let go of perfection.

In this episode, we cover:

• Realistic Mornings: Switching off early routines with her husband, “living multiple lives by 9 AM,” and the small systems that help their family stay afloat.
• Work-Life Design: Balancing three days of private practice and two days of writing, and learning to focus deeply (or flex when her kids are home sick).
• Partnership & Planning: How she and her husband divide household tasks, use Google Calendar to keep it all straight, and hold monthly check-ins during date nights.
• Friendship in the Chaos: Scheduling time with friends, weekly “proof of life” video updates, and the value of finding community with other writers.
• Creative Rhythms: Writing across novels like Well-Behaved Indian Women, What a Happy Family, and The Guilty Pill, and embracing the long, nonlinear path of creativity.
• Movement & Growth: How a shared personal training session every Friday morning became both self-care and connection time
• Parenting Joy: The power of bedtime stories, and why she believes reading builds empathy, connection, and calm for both parents and kids.

Whether you’re juggling creative work, young kids, or just trying to find a rhythm that fits your season — Saumya’s perspective will leave you feeling grounded, inspired, and a little more at peace with the mess.

Follow Saumya

@saumyajdave

References

• The Chutney Life
• SaumyaDave.com

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Join Ellie for this week’s episode with Jess Botros, Vice President of IT Strategy & Operations and mom in Frisco, TX. Jess shares how she’s navigating a new kindergarten schedule, a meeting-heavy role, and frequent work travel—while keeping family, community, and sanity front and center.

In this episode, we cover:

• Workday Design: Blocking 8–9 AM for no-meeting focus, managing a Teams + email firehose, and the simple tools that keep her on track including her Remarkable
• Two Careers, Two Calendars: How she and her husband coordinate overlapping travel, use Sunday night planning, and lean on nearby grandparents.
• Community First: Hosting friends, casual watch parties, and bringing their son along to keep adult friendships alive.
• Self-Care That Sticks: Her “retirement day” every few months (spa/sauna, long walk, solo lunch) and embracing fall to reset energy.
• Creativity in the Margins: Crafting alongside her kid, letting hobbies be seasonal, and being okay with “beginner” energy (like learning golf).
• Everyday AI: Paid ChatGPT for trip planning and home problem-solving, and Copilot at work for meeting summaries and admin lift.

If you’re a working mom juggling big projects, shifting school schedules, and real life at home, Jess’s approach will give you some practical insights.

Follow Jess

LinkedIn

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In this week’s episode of A Day in Her Life, Ellie sits down with Rachel Beiser - product designer at a women’s health startup, founder of The Motherload Substack, and mom of two young daughters living in northern New Jersey. With a husband in medical training and a full career of her own, Rachel shares what her chaotic, funny, and fulfilling days look like as she balances solo mornings, creative side projects, and family life.

We cover:

• Morning Survival Mode: Why Rachel doesn’t force 5 AM wake-ups, how her toddler “helper” joins the routine, and the cereal + podcast combo that gets them out the door.
• Working Mom Systems: From using her work calendar as her “source of truth” to carving out deep work time before West Coast colleagues log on.
• Mother’s Helper Magic: How outsourcing evening chaos to a trusted helper has given her hours of her life back.
• Dinner & Mental Load: Why meal planning feels overwhelming, and her realistic hacks for weeknight survival.
• Shabbat & Community: How weekly screen-free family rituals give her grounding, creativity, and built-in friendship time.
• Career Path: Rachel’s journey from art major to UX and product design, and how her creative skills fuel both her career and her newsletter.
• Creative Outlet: Why she launched The Mother Load Newsletter as a space to share hacks, recommendations, and reflections on the realities of motherhood.
• Marriage & Medicine: What it’s like being married to a medical resident, navigating uncertain fellowship moves, and finding connection even in unpredictable schedules.

This episode is packed with relatable insights on working motherhood, household systems, and carving out time for creativity, all while raising little ones and supporting a partner in medical training.

Follow Rachel:

• The Motherload Newsletter

References

Mother Founder

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In this week’s episode of A Day in Her Life, Ellie sits down with Christina Pardy— marketing consultant, founder of the beloved knitwear brand Sh*t That I Knit, mom of two (with one on the way), and Boston city-dweller navigating life after selling her business.

Christina shares candidly about what her days look like right now, from 5 AM coffee walks and pancake breakfasts with her girls to building a more flexible consulting career. She opens up about shifting her identity after selling her company, the role her nanny plays in helping her feel like a better mom, and why she’s embracing flexibility during this season of life.

We also chat about:

• Life After Selling a Business: How Christina is redefining her work and identity post- Sh*t That I Knit.
• Support Systems: The role of her nanny and personal assistant in creating structure and making motherhood more manageable.
• Flexibility & Identity: Why she’s leaning into a new rhythm that prioritizes both family and career in sustainable ways.
• City vs. Suburbs: Why city living works for their family (and why she’s team city all the way).
• Creativity & Sales: The passions that fueled her as a founder and continue to spark her next chapter.

This is an inspiring, honest look at motherhood, transitions, and building a life you actually want—without burning yourself out.

Follow Christina

ChristinaPardy.com

@shitthatiknit

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Join Ellie for this week’s episode of A Day In Her Life with Steph, a project engineer and mom of four living in Maryland. Steph shares her productive, active, and joyful days balancing a demanding career, family life, and meaningful volunteer work—all while building a growing platform that inspires other women.

In this episode, we cover:

• Becoming a Morning Workout Person: How having her second child shifted her perspective on fitness and helped her prioritize energy and health.
• Career Journey: Steph’s path to becoming an engineer and how her college experience inspired her future volunteer work.
• Evening Rhythms: Her family’s evening routine and how she makes time for content creation after a full day.
• “Why Not Me?” Mindset: The empowering attitude that launched her online presence, @stephfi___.
• Family Support: How she and her husband decided on an au pair, and what that looks like in their household.
• Volunteer Work as a Family Value: Why service is such a big part of their family life and how it shapes their time together.

Steph’s story is a reminder that with the right systems, support, and mindset, you can pursue meaningful work, show up for your family, and make space for passion projects along the way.

Follow Steph:

@stephfi___

References:

Action Academy Podcast

@alexonabudget

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Join Ellie for this week’s episode of A Day In Her Life with Marlo Giudice—co-founder of Evrloop, sales and marketing leader in CPG, and mom of two in New Jersey. Marlo shares her frenetic, full, and fun days as she balances scaling a sustainable baby gear startup, leading sales for a global brand, and raising two young daughters.

In this episode, we cover:

• Quiet Mornings: How Marlo carves out early hours for coffee, sunlight, and Evrloop work before her girls wake up.
• Startup + Career Balance: Her career journey that includes pastry school to launching her second company, Evrloop, while leading in the CPG world.
• Parenting Systems: School drop-offs, after-school childcare, and how she and her husband share the load at home.
• Dinner & Connection: The role cooking plays in reconnecting as a couple, with kids helping plan menus from favorite cookbooks.
• Female Friendships: Keeping a 15-year book club alive and scheduling friendship time far in advance.
• Tools & Organization: Why Google Calendar and Google Sheets are her lifelines for work, parenting, and her hack for remembering babysitter rates.
• Entrepreneurship & Sustainability: Building a circular baby gear company with her husband inspired by their parenting journey and unique skill sets.
• Travel, Creativity & Joy: From work trips and 40th birthday plans to finding creativity on walks and sparking joy with fall routines.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to juggle a high-level corporate career, grow a mission-driven startup, and still make time for family and friendships, this episode is packed with relatable insights and inspiration.

Follow Marlo

@evrloop

Marlo on LinkedIn

References

evrloop.com

I Regret Almost Everything - Keith McNally

Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver

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Join Ellie for this week’s episode of A Day In Her Life with Allison Schaaf—entrepreneur, founder of Prep Dish, and mom of four in Texas. Allison opens up about her intentional, full, and connected days, sharing how she’s built systems to support both her growing businesses and her family. (See below for a code to try Prep Dish free for two weeks!)

In this episode, we cover:

• Morning Routines: How Allison starts her day with journaling, Bible reading, and meditation.
• Family Systems: Why she meal-plans breakfasts and how her family’s commitment to nightly dinners helps avoid hangry chaos.
• Childcare Choices: The intentional decision to staff up with support when welcoming baby number four, and what life with an au pair looks like over time.
• Memoir Writing: How Allison’s journaling practice grew into writing her memoir, and how she’s prioritizing creativity alongside entrepreneurship.
• Career Journey: From culinary school to dietitian, private chef, Prep Dish founder, and now expanding into new Amazon product ventures.
• Homeschooling: The decision to homeschool her children this year and how that shift fits into family rhythms.
• Community & Support: Building mastermind groups, for both her businesses and her writing, and why community is key to success.
• Self-Care & Rest: The nightly bath ritual that grounds her.
• Travel Goals: How she’s pursuing her love of travel while finding ways to do it more economically with a big family.

If you’ve ever wondered how entrepreneurs with multiple businesses (and kids!) find balance, this episode is packed with practical systems, inspiring reflections, and a reminder that intentionality is everything.

Follow Allison

@prepdish - Prep Dish - use code ADIHL for a free trial! Thank you to Allison and team!

@MiscarriageHopeDesk

Meal Prep Monday - Allison’s Podcast!

Bright Standards Amazon Storefront

References

Jeff Woods - The AI Driven Leader

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Join Ellie for this week’s episode of A Day In Her Life as she chats with Carly Ridloff, founder of The Exchange Project, a sustainability-focused brand rooted in mindfulness and conscious living. Carly is also a mom of two based in Connecticut, and she’s sharing what her busy, joyful, and love-filled days look like right now.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Morning Mindfulness: How Carly’s meditation practice has transformed her mornings and grounded her throughout the day.
• From Retail to Purpose-Driven Business: Her journey from the fashion industry to founding The Exchange Project, and how sustainability became her north star.
• Prioritizing Peace: How Carly is intentionally protecting her energy while building a brand and raising a family.
• Wellness Practices That Stick: The accessible tools and rituals Carly swears by—and how you can get started with mindfulness in a realistic way.
• Life with Kids at Sleepaway Camp: How this season has shifted for Carly and what solo summer days are teaching her.
• The Power of Simple Joys: Walks and coffee with friends as daily anchors of connection and joy.

Whether you're navigating a new season, looking to reconnect with yourself, or want inspiration for building a mission-driven brand with heart—this episode is for you.

Follow Carly

Instagram - @the.exchangeproject

TikTok - @the.exchangeproject

theexchangeproject.com

References

• Dr Joe Dispenza
• David Ghiyam
• A Plastic Ocean
• The True Cost
• Buy Now

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Join Ellie for this week’s episode of A Day In Her Life with Nicole Conroy, VP of Technology at a global company and mom of two living in New York City. Nicole shares what her full, chaotic, and deeply fulfilling days look like as she balances an executive leadership role, a bi-state family summer routine, and motherhood.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Leading in Tech: Nicole’s path from majoring in Italian to becoming a VP at a global company—and the power of raising your hand.
• Office Life & Commuting Rhythms: How she structures her 2-3 days in-office and spends the commute to school and work.
• Work Blocks & Flexibility: How her approach to scheduling work blocks has evolved as her kids have grown and her career has scaled.
• Bi-State Living: The contrast between school-year life in NYC and summer life in Rhode Island—and how they maximize family time while they can.
• Household Operations: How Nicole and her husband divide responsibilities (including the ones they still negotiate with rock-paper-scissors).
• Simple Joys: Why her nightly ice cream ritual is non-negotiable.
• Kids' Activities: Their intentional approach to scheduling and extracurriculars in a busy household.

If you’re navigating career growth, parenting in two places, or just looking for a real, relatable take on what modern working motherhood can look like—this one’s for you.

Follow Nicole

On LinkedIn

References

Clementines Ice Cream

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