What if the thing you need most right now isn't more information, more productivity, or a better system — but community?

In this episode of Don't Cut Your Own Bangs, I sit down with Sarah Harker, Chief Growth Officer of The City Moms, for a conversation about motherhood, mental load, burnout, risk-taking, friendship, and the kind of support that makes life feel a little lighter.

Sarah's story begins in a place I think a lot of women will recognize: a season where life isn't exactly wrong, but it also doesn't feel quite right anymore.

Before helping grow a national community for moms, Sarah spent 10 years working as a cardiac nurse and hospital administrator. Over time, she realized she was becoming just as invested in the well-being of the people she worked alongside as she was in the patients she cared for. That curiosity led her toward entrepreneurship, leadership coaching, and eventually to a dinner party where she met City Moms founder Janine Bobmeyer over a shared Anthropologie dress and an honest conversation about isolation.

What followed was the beginning of a friendship, a business partnership, and a bigger vision for helping moms feel more connected, supported, and less alone.

This conversation is honest, funny, and practical. It also has a very real-life-mom-energy feel in video form — including an interruption from Sarah's son's school and a quick pivot before another broadcast interview. In other words: it's polished and delightfully real. Be sure to follow along on YouTube too.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Burnout, motherhood, and the mental load women carry

• Sarah's path from cardiac nursing to entrepreneurship

• The origin story of her partnership with The City Moms

• Why community matters more than perfection

• How growth gets easier when you stop trying to do it all alone

A few standout lines from this episode:

• "Anytime I think someone is too busy, it's like God's laughing."

• "Motherhood wasn't meant to be done alone."

• "I just have to work a little harder — I think that's such a lie, especially for women and moms."

• "There's plenty of room for everybody."

• "What's draining you? What can be delegated?"

Why this conversation matters

What I love about Sarah — and about The City Moms — is that the mission doesn't feel performative. It feels practical, generous, and deeply rooted in real life. This isn't about being the perfect mom, doing more, or finding the one magical system that fixes everything. It's about making life more supported and more connected.

And honestly? I think we need a lot more of that.

Connect with The City Moms

• The City Moms: https://thecitymoms.org/

Mentioned in the Episode

• Fair Play Card Deck / Fair Play system: https://www.fairplaylife.com/

• Who Not How: https://whonothow.com/

• The Treasured Journal: https://danielleireland.com/journal

Connect with Danielle

• Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-cut-your-own-bangs/id1427579922

• Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0VFZulonTvaa2HIPyJa4Tq?si=JyAzazfISPWyg6I11hAylg

• Watch and follow on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DontCutYourOwnBangs

• Website: https://danielleireland.com

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• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dontcutyourownbangspod

• Substack: https://danielleireland.substack.com

Rate, Review, Subscribe + Share

If this episode resonated with you, please take a minute to rate, review, and subscribe to Don't Cut Your Own Bangs.

It helps more people find the show, and it really does make a difference.

And if you know a mom, entrepreneur, helper, or high-functioning friend who needs this message right now, share this episode with them.

This one is especially fun in video form too, so make sure you're following along on YouTube.