When they last spoke- Alex was confused about whether or not to move- how to feel less stressed by the balance between work and parenting, and how to carve more space in the day for herself.

A little more than one year later, Ellen and Alex catch up to see what Alex decided about her future.

In this episode we discussed Alex's significant life changes over the past year. Alex shared how she transformed her daily routine, including establishing a morning ritual and adjusting her work schedule to create more balance. We discussed Alex's decision to stay in Hawaii rather than relocate, and her focus on making incremental changes rather than drastic ones. Alex acknowledged learning from last year's overcommitment and is being more mindful about workloads in 2026.

The conversation concluded with Alex sending an email pitch to David Blaine's publicist, which resulted in an immediate response.

About Alex: Alex is a bestselling author, award-winning editor, and entrepreneur based in Hawaii. She's the co-founder of Get It Done, a company providing writing coaching, editing, proofreading, cover design, publishing, and distribution services for clients who want to write a book. She writes one of my favorite newsletters at AlexandraFranzen.com, and runs a popular Tiny Book Course. Alex deleted all of her social media accounts eight years ago as she describes in her forthcoming book, Marketing Without Social Media

Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

To connect with Ellen, visit:

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler

Heidi and Ellen welcome the sign of Pisces, the final sign of the astrological year. It is a culminating and synthesizing sign, a time when we end chapters and release what no longer serves. It's also a time to start dreaming, listening, and intuiting. We feel our way forward, sensing the route to the new threshold.

They celebrate the birthdays of legendary Pisceans Bad Bunny and Catherine O'Hara. Heidi read the poem 'I Ask My Mother To Sing' by Li-Young Lee.

Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

To connect, visit:

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler

Heidi Rose Robbins, Astrologer & Poet: heidirose.com, IG: @heidiroserobbins

Heidi and Ellen welcome Aquarius, the season of gathering in the name of PROGRESS. This is the sign of HUMANITY. This is the sign of democracy and equality. We are in distressing times. But we are also in a time when huge change and reinvention is possible. This is a call to gather, a call to make new choices, a call to think outside the box, a call to dig deep.

They celebrate the birthdays of Virginia Woolf and Toni Morrison. Heidi read the poem Shedding the Old by Samantha Thornhill.

Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

To connect, visit:

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler

Heidi Rose Robbins, Astrologer & Poet: heidirose.com, IG: @heidiroserobbins

Megan deBoer is back! We answer a question from Claire about money and uncertainty.

Ellen shares some gentle career guidance with Claire—inviting her to follow her curiosity rather than demand clarity right away and Megan talked about the importance of understanding what you truly need financially—your real numbers, your real responsibilities—while still allowing yourself to imagine something new.

Megan deBoer is a Wealth Doula who helps people navigate the emotional and financial terrain that exists when you choose to live life on your terms. Since founding Tended Wealth in 2012, Megan has helped over a thousand clients steward, generate and savor wealth. She gets into the meat of things with actual, factual numbers, but also dives into emotional beliefs, thoughts and how they influence our choices.

You can hear more about Megan in our podcast What About the Money? that aired in November), and she's also working alongside Ellen this year in The Next Chapter.

To connect, visit:

Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler

If you have a question for Ellen and Megan, send it in to [email protected]

Heidi and Ellen welcome Capricorn- the sign of structure and discipline. Capricorn is a sign to be relied upon. Capricorn shows up, does what it says it's going to do, and stands up for the work done. It supports and holds the subtler realm because it knows how important the realm of intuition and feeling actually is. Capricorn season is one of right timing, purpose, and determination. Welcome to the season of getting it done. They talk about Jane Austen's 250th birthday; and the birthdays of Diane Keaton and Pete Buttigieg. Heidi read the poem On Closing the Apartment of my Grandparents of Blessed Memory by Robyn Sarah.

Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

To connect with the hosts, visit:

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler

Heidi Rose Robbins, Astrologer & Poet: heidirose.com, IG: @heidiroserobbins

Heidi and Ellen share their favorite gifts, books and movies for this holiday season. What started as a simple little list just kept growing! It reminded us how much joy there is in choosing something with someone specific in mind—how a gift can feel like a tiny love letter. It made us appreciate how much happiness there is in finding things that make people feel seen.

We hope this collection sparks inspiration—and maybe helps you think of the people you love and the small things that would brighten their day.

Enjoy—and happy gifting.

Heidi and Ellen welcome the sign of Sagittarius. We now enter the sign of movement, freedom, and momentum. We envision. We aspire. We summon the wind to be at our back, and we believe that we can make things happen. This is a time to remember that progress is possible. There is still tremendous chaos in the world at large, but Sagittarius reminds us that we are planetary citizens and we can act in the name of the true, the good and the beautiful — and in so doing, create a benevolent momentum.

Heidi read the poem: The Verge by Annie Lighthart

Birthdays: Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg

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Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

To connect, visit:

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler

Heidi Rose Robbins, Astrologer & Poet: heidirose.com, IG: @heidiroserobbins

In 2022, Anne made the bold and audacious decision to leave her job as a tenured English professor, sell all her earthly possessions and embark on a European adventure. In this episode, I am going to talk to Anne about her decision to reset her life and find a new way of being in the world.

She is the author of the viral Substack newsletter Audacious Women, Creative Lives, where she writes about her transition from an academic in the US to a creative life in the UK. She has just completed a Master's in Creative Writing at the University of Manchester. She is now working towards her life-long dream of publishing a novel, while coaching writers and hosting retreats.

She is also the author/editor of seven books from her 23-year career as a literature professor. She wrote two critically acclaimed books published by W. W. Norton: Constance Fenimore Woolson: Portrait of a Lady Novelist (2016) reviewed on the cover of NY Times Book Review and Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters (2018). This was voted best books of the year by Library Journal. Anne received four National Endowment for the Humanities awards, two for public scholarship. She also has appeared on NPR, BBC Radio, and CBS Sunday Morning, and has bylines in many paces, including the Washington Post and Literary Hub.

Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler

Megan deBoer joins Ellen today to talk about The Next Chapter and how they are going to weave financial alignment into the year-long program. Megan is offering The Next Chapter participants four sessions to be held throughout the year to help them navigate their finances in order to create an abundant and wealthy life. It is important to get a firm grasp on your money, so your finances support your vision, not limit it.

Megan deBoer is a Wealth Doula who helps people navigate the emotional and financial terrain that exists when you choose to live life on your terms. Since founding Tended Wealth in 2012, Megan has helped over a thousand clients steward, generate and savor wealth. She gets into the meat of things with actual, factual numbers, but also dives into emotional beliefs, thoughts and how they influence our choices.

To connect, visit:

Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler

Megan deBoer, Wealth Doula: tendedwealth.com, IG: @tendedwealth

In this episode Ellen talks with the amazing Alexandra Franzen. Their conversation centers around Alex's desire to move into her next chapter, though she is not quite sure what that looks like. All she knows is that she is hearing the whispers of change. Ellen coaches her LIVE and they do a deep dive into what may be brewing for her. Listen in to get a front seat into a real coaching experience with Ellen!

About Alex: Alex is a bestselling author, award-winning editor, and entrepreneur based in Hawaii. She's the co-founder of Get It Done, a company providing writing coaching, editing, proofreading, cover design, publishing, and distribution services for clients who want to write a book. She writes one of my favorite newsletters at AlexandraFranzen.com, and runs a popular Tiny Book Course. Alex deleted all of her social media accounts eight years ago as she describes in her forthcoming book, Marketing Without Social Media

Chart Your Career Instagram: @chartyourcareerpodcast

To connect with Ellen, visit:

Ellen Fondiler, Career & Business Strategist: ellenfondiler.com, IG: @elfondiler