In this deeply moving conversation, Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti sit down with Kate Doerge, Co-Founder and CEO of Penny's Flight Foundation, certified grief coach, author, and motivational speaker. Kate shares the extraordinary story of her daughter Penny, whose life was defined not by illness, but by joy, resilience, kindness, and purpose.

Diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF) as an infant, Penny faced numerous medical challenges throughout her 16 years, including multiple surgeries and ultimately a malignant brain tumor. Yet she refused to let her diagnosis define her. Instead, she embraced life fully, spreading light and positivity to everyone around her.

Kate shares how Penny's outlook inspired their family to approach hardship with courage and intention. Following Penny's passing, Kate and her family transformed their grief into action by launching Penny's Flight Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars for NF research and inspired young people across the country to become advocates and changemakers.

The conversation also explores Kate's book, Reimagining Grief, where she challenges traditional ideas about grief and offers a more hopeful, action-oriented path forward. She shares her five key actions for navigating loss: connect with others, celebrate your loved one, stay open to signs, keep moving, and turn pain into purpose.

Key Takeaways

Penny's life demonstrated that joy can coexist with adversity, and that our circumstances don't have to define us.

Kate believes grief isn't something we simply endure. It's something we can actively move through with intention, connection, and purpose.

Community and human connection are essential for healing and can significantly reduce feelings of isolation during loss.

Physical movement plays a powerful role in processing grief, anxiety, and emotional pain.

Penny's Flight Foundation continues Penny's legacy by funding NF research, raising awareness, and empowering young people to make a difference.

Faith, hope, and remaining open to signs from loved ones can provide comfort and strength during life's most difficult seasons.

Turning pain into purpose can become a powerful catalyst for healing and growth.

Throughout the conversation, Kate offers a powerful reminder that while loss changes us forever, it doesn't have to define the rest of our lives. By choosing connection, gratitude, movement, and purpose, it's possible to find healing, strength, and even joy again.

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Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti talk with Dena Fenza, founder of Micia Mammas, cookbook author, entrepreneur, and creator of a thriving Italian food and lifestyle brand. Dena shares her remarkable journey from growing up in a large Italian-American family in Brooklyn to navigating divorce, restaurant ownership, motherhood, and ultimately building a new life centered around her passion for food, family, and Italy.

Throughout the conversation, Dena reflects on the lessons she learned from her grandparents, the challenges of running a restaurant while raising three children, and the courage it took to close one chapter of her life and begin another. What started as sharing family recipes during the pandemic evolved into a successful business that includes a cookbook, imported Italian products, olive oil production, and immersive tours in Tuscany.

Key Points

Dena's love of cooking began in her grandparents' kitchen, where recipes were passed down through experience rather than written instructions.

After years of working multiple jobs, running a restaurant, and raising three children, she made the difficult decision to close her restaurant and focus on her family.

During the pandemic, she began sharing family recipes online, eventually transforming Micia Mammas into a successful business and personal brand.

Living part-time in Tuscany deepened her appreciation for quality ingredients, traditional food culture, and a healthier approach to eating.

Dena believes reinvention is possible at any age and encourages women to take small steps, trust the process, and never give up on themselves.

Dena's story is a powerful reminder that life's setbacks don't define our future. Through resilience, hard work, and a deep connection to her heritage, she transformed challenges into opportunities and created a business rooted in passion and purpose. Her message is simple but inspiring: it's never too late to reinvent yourself, pursue your dreams, and create a life that feels truly fabulous.

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Patrice Meagher, founder and CEO of MilkMate, joined Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti for a powerful conversation about entrepreneurship, motherhood, workplace equity, and building solutions that truly support working parents.

Patrice shared how her years in commercial real estate, combined with her own experience pumping breast milk while working in demanding office environments, inspired her to create MilkMate, a breast pumping as a service company designed to remove stress and inefficiencies for working mothers.

Throughout the episode, Patrice explained how MilkMate is helping companies rethink workplace wellness and employee support. She discussed the emotional and mental load many women carry when returning to work postpartum and emphasized that better workplace systems aren't just “nice to have,” they’re essential for retention, advancement, and equity.

Key Points:

Patrice’s transition from commercial real estate into entrepreneurship and how her firsthand struggles as a working mother inspired the creation of MilkMate.

How MilkMate saves women significant time and mental energy by providing fully serviced pumping stations and support directly in the workplace.

The importance of creating workplaces where women feel “seen” and supported during the return-to-work journey after maternity leave.

Patrice’s candid discussion about fundraising, FDA approval, rejection, and the realities of building a startup from the ground up.

Why Patrice believes women’s leadership, efficiency, and problem-solving skills are critical to improving workplaces and industries across the board.

The episode also explored larger themes around work-life balance, advocacy, resilience, and creating meaningful change for the next generation of women entering the workforce. Patrice’s honesty, humor, and mission-driven leadership made for an inspiring and deeply relatable conversation.

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Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti sit down with Leslie Wuischpard, founder of Her Midlife Style, to talk about reinventing yourself in midlife, building confidence, and creating community through fashion and connection. Leslie shares how becoming an empty nester inspired her to launch an Instagram account focused on elevated everyday style for women over 50, eventually growing it into a thriving platform with more than 100,000 followers.

Leslie shares the emotional experience of becoming an empty nester and how that transition motivated her to start something entirely new for herself.

The conversation highlights how intimidating it can feel to put yourself online, especially in midlife, and why taking the first step matters more than perfection.

Leslie explains how supportive female communities on Instagram helped her grow both personally and professionally, proving that women truly can lift each other up.

The hosts and Leslie discuss affordable fashion, confidence-building style tips, and the importance of finding clothing that works for real women in everyday life, including tall women and women with adaptive clothing needs.

A major theme throughout the episode is that midlife can be the beginning of an exciting new chapter, not the end of one. The conversation encourages women to pursue passions, start businesses, and redefine themselves at any age.

This conversation with Leslie is a reminder that midlife can be one of the most exciting and empowering chapters of life. What started as a way to navigate the emotions of becoming an empty nester turned into a thriving community centered around style, confidence, and connection. Leslie’s story proves that it’s never too late to start something new, learn new skills, or pursue a passion that lights you up.

Through honest conversations about fashion, reinvention, entrepreneurship, and the importance of supportive female friendships, this episode encourages women to stop waiting for the “perfect” moment and simply begin. Sometimes the biggest transformations happen when you take that very first step.

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Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti sit down with Lisa Walsh, an author, content creator, and Director of Resident Experience, to explore her unconventional career path and deeply personal health journey. From working in publishing and marketing in Ireland to navigating kidney disease, dialysis, and ultimately a life-saving transplant, Lisa shares how resilience and optimism shaped her path.

Lisa opens up about living with kidney disease from childhood, the realities of dialysis during COVID, and the emotional experience of receiving a donor kidney. She reflects on the profound connection she built with her donor’s family and how that relationship brought meaning, healing, and a new perspective on life.

Key Points

Lisa’s career path wasn’t linear, moving from publishing to international marketing to senior living, showing the value of reinvention

She went through dialysis during COVID, which added isolation but also created meaningful connections with caregivers

Lisa chose to accept a “high-risk” kidney to increase her chances rather than continue waiting

She built a relationship with her donor’s family, creating a powerful connection rooted in gratitude and healing

Humor and openness helped her navigate emotional moments, including meeting the donor’s family for the first time

April’s Donate Life Month highlights how one donor can save multiple lives through organ, tissue, and eye donation

Lisa believes positivity is both natural and a daily choice, shaped by intentional habits

Her “fabulous” comes from connecting with people and finding joy in everyday interactions

Lisa’s journey highlights how even the most difficult challenges can lead to purpose and connection. Her story isn’t just about survival, it’s about choosing optimism, embracing people, and finding meaning in every chapter of life. 

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On this episode of Finding Fabulous, Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti talk with journalist, author, and advocate Lee Woodruff to explore what it means to navigate life’s most unexpected challenges. Lee shares her family’s journey following her husband Bob Woodruff’s traumatic brain injury while reporting in Iraq and the long road to recovery that followed.

She reflects on resilience, the power of community, and how purpose can emerge from hardship through the creation of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The conversation also dives into mindset, healing, humor, and how women can redefine their next chapter with intention and courage.

Key Points

Life unfolds in chapters shaped by both choice and circumstance, not a single linear plan

Resilience is built through small, daily actions rather than one defining moment

“Payback days” are a natural part of recovery after emotional or physical strain

Community support plays a critical role in navigating trauma and rebuilding stability

The “four F’s” framework for resilience: friends, family, faith, and funny

Hope is a deliberate choice that fuels forward momentum during uncertainty

The Bob Woodruff Foundation was created to turn personal tragedy into meaningful impact for veterans

Women in midlife are redefining success and creating new paths on their own terms

Storytelling and connection are powerful tools for healing and inspiration

Lee’s story is a powerful reminder that even in life’s most devastating moments, there’s a path forward. Through resilience, community, and a commitment to finding meaning in the struggle, she and her family transformed hardship into purpose. 

Her perspective encourages us to look for the small moments of “fabulous” each day and to trust that, over time, those moments build a life filled with strength, connection, and possibility.

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In this episode of Finding Fabulous, hosts Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti sit down with New York-based leather designer Susan Bender to explore her journey from corporate beginnings to building a successful fashion brand. Susan shares how early setbacks, including a failed business, ultimately shaped her entrepreneurial path and led her to create timeless, wearable leather pieces rooted in real customer needs.

The conversation highlights Susan’s philosophy of designing for comfort, longevity, and everyday confidence rather than fleeting trends. She also opens up about the realities of manufacturing in New York, the importance of ethical labor practices, and how understanding her customer has been key to her success. The episode closes with powerful advice for women still searching for their path: look inward, identify your natural strengths, and build from there.

Key Points

Susan’s career path was not linear. Early experiences, including working outside of fashion and a failed business, gave her the foundation and resilience to eventually build her own brand

A pivotal moment came when a Bergdorf Goodman sales associate encouraged her to turn a piece she made for herself into a business, leading to her first trunk show and initial validation of demand

Her brand is built on designing for real women’s lives, focusing on comfort, ease, and timelessness rather than trend-driven statement pieces

Susan emphasizes cost-per-wear value, creating high-quality leather garments meant to be worn frequently, not saved for special occasions

Her mother’s influence played a major role in shaping her mindset, particularly the belief that taking risks is easier when you realize you have little to lose

This episode is a reminder that success rarely follows a straight line. Susan Bender’s journey shows how setbacks, self-awareness, and a deep connection to your customer can shape something meaningful and lasting. Her approach to fashion mirrors a broader lesson in life and business: when you focus on authenticity, quality, and what truly works for people, you create value that endures.

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In this episode of Finding Fabulous, Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti talk with neuroscience coach Tina Levinson about breaking free from survival mode and creating real change through small daily shifts. Tina shares her journey through divorce, burnout, grief, and self-discovery, while offering practical insight into nervous system regulation, manifestation, and why it’s never too late to rewrite your story and find your fabulous.

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Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti sit down with Missy Tannen, co-founder of Boll & Branch, to explore how a former third grade teacher and stay-at-home mom built a nationally recognized luxury bedding brand alongside her husband. What began as a simple desire to create better sheets evolved into a mission-driven company grounded in ethical sourcing, transparency, and uncompromising quality.

Missy shares the emotional early days of risking their life savings, navigating uncertainty, and experiencing the breakthrough moment that changed everything. She opens up about division of roles in a family-run business, managing growth, leading with high standards, and the personal work required to become the leader her company needed.

Key Points

Start before you feel ready. Missy and her husband had no formal business background, but they leaned into curiosity, research, and persistence instead of waiting for perfect credentials.

Product first, brand second. Boll & Branch was built on deep attention to materials, ethical supply chains, and quality control long before marketing scale followed.

Risk is layered. From sitting on unsold inventory to borrowing against their home for major advertising, growth required increasingly bold decisions.

Values as infrastructure. Ethical sourcing, fair wages, and transparency were not marketing angles. They were operational commitments woven into every step of the supply chain.

Leadership is internal work. As the company grew, Missy had to confront her own perfectionism and learn how to communicate high standards in a way that empowers rather than intimidates.

Fabulous is already within you. Finding your fabulous is less about achievement and more about self-awareness, owning your essence, and removing what holds you back.

This conversation is a masterclass in courage, conviction, and character. Missy’s journey proves that building something meaningful is not about having all the answers. It is about staying rooted in your values, doing the internal work, and having the resilience to keep going until the world catches up with your vision.

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In this heartfelt and deeply honest conversation, Kristin Hocker and Meghan Caponiti sit down with writer and mother Eileen O’Connor, author of Eating Pizza Backwards and Other Adventures.

Eileen shares the powerful story behind her book’s title — a moment involving her son preparing a friend for the unpredictability of his sister Erin, who has autism — and how that small, tender exchange captures the heart of her family’s journey.

The discussion begins with the day of Erin’s diagnosis and the writing prompt that inspired Eileen to reflect on what she would tell her younger self in that moment. From there, the conversation weaves through grief, joy, resilience, marriage, sibling dynamics, and the unexpected gifts that can emerge from life’s most difficult chapters.

Key Points:

The intertwined nature of grief and joy in parenting a child with special needs

The power of grace — giving yourself patience, love, and space to grow

The role of siblings and how empathy develops through lived experience

The impact of service animals and the deep bonds they create

Finding community and support through social media in meaningful ways

How perspective — even in ordinary places like the grocery store — can transform daily life

Eileen speaks candidly about the early fears that accompanied Erin’s diagnosis, the slow transformation that followed, and the many “angels” — both fleeting and lifelong — who showed up along the way. She reflects on her marriage, the growth of her sons, and how Erin has changed not only their family’s trajectory, but their way of seeing the world.

At its core, this episode is about redefining expectations, honoring complexity, and recognizing that even in profound challenges, joy has a way of showing up.

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