Mom-Me

Nicole Bowyer, Founder of Coco on the Go, shares her journey as a stepmom to four children and a mom to Kingston. She discusses the opportunities of calibrating her business alongside motherhood, she reflects on the dynamics of supporting her four stepchildren and her only son, while navigating the physical, mental, and emotional journey of IVF. Nicole recounts the instability caused by her husband's professional gambling career and the impact of being raided. Despite these setbacks, she highlights her resilience and the growth of her business, which now has over 300 retail stores. Nicole emphasizes the importance of a supportive team and personal strength in navigating life's challenges.

"I don't think anyone could say anything to prepare you for the amount of sleep deprivation, and still trying to be career driven and chase your dreams and still be an amazing mom to your babies and raise them better than you were raised, and give them more than you were given."

• Nicole opens up about her challenging relationship with her stepmother and how it shaped her own parenting style.
• She shares the emotional experience of how becoming a mother brought up memories of past childhood abuse and the moments of breakdown that came with it.
• Nicole reflects on her ongoing journey through therapy and personal growth, highlighting the importance of healing and self-discovery.

• Nicole shares her initial approach of being a friend to avoid making the same mistakes as her own step-parents.
• She recounts the difficulties of dealing with attitude and attitude from her step-daughters.
• Nicole emphasizes the importance of earning the trust of her step-children and maintaining a balance.
• Balancing Step-Parenting and Personal Relationships
• Nicole discusses the complexities of being a step-parent and maintaining a relationship with her husband.
• She shares a story about her step-daughter's attitude and the need to remind herself that she is the adult.
• Nicole talks about the supportive role her husband's ex-wife played in her step-parenting journey.
• They discuss the importance of co-parenting and not letting personal conflicts affect the children.
• Journey to Motherhood and IVF Process
• Nicole shares her husband's decision to undergo a vasectomy reversal to have a child.
• They discuss the challenges and emotional toll of the IVF process.
• Nicole recounts her own experience with the IVF process, including the physical and emotional challenges.
• They talk about the importance of having a supportive team to manage the business during maternity leave.

• Nicole shares the origin of Coco on the Go and its mission to empower women through confidence.
• She discusses the sourcing of fabrics from South America and the brand's focus on athleisure.
• Nicole talks about the early days of running the business while working full-time and waitressing.
• They discuss the importance of building a strong team to support business growth.

• Nicole discusses her husband's career as a professional gambler and its impact on their family.
• She shares her initial admiration for his charisma and work ethic, but later resentment due to instability.
• Nicole talks about the challenges of balancing her career with supporting her husband's unpredictable income.
• They discuss the emotional toll of the raid on their home and its impact on their family.

• Nicole shares how the raid forced her to take control of their financial situation.
• She discusses the steps she took to ramp up her business and secure new accounts.
• Nicole talks about the stress and challenges of the past year but also the growth and resilience it brought.
• They discuss the importance of finding silver linings and reframing negative experiences.

• Nicole reflects on the emotional challenges of the past year and the importance of processing her feelings.
• She shares her experience of breaking down in front of friends and the need to release pent-up emotions.
• Nicole talks about the ongoing nature of healing and personal growth.
• They discuss the importance of creating safe spaces to talk about emotions and being vulnerable.

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**Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**

Angela interviews Jaymina Patel, a Clinical Director and therapist in Arizona, about harmonizing motherhood and career. Jaymina emphasizes the importance of community, self-care, and flexibility in leadership. She discusses the challenges of motherhood, including the need for self-compassion and realistic expectations. Jaymina highlights the shift from a rigid leadership style to one that values human connection and empathy. She advises aspiring leaders to seek mentorship and prioritize authenticity and connection. Both agree on the value of setting intentions over goals to navigate the complexities of motherhood and professional life.

"After becoming a mom, I realized there's really no black and white way to do it. There's a lot of gray area in life and the struggles that we go through as human beings, as moms, it's very gray. It's extremely gray. There's no right or wrong answer. Every child is different. The solution to the problem is different for each child."

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• Jaymina discusses the concept of balance, emphasizing the importance of community and leaning into a support system.

• Angela and Jaymina agree on the necessity of time management and boundaries to balance multiple roles.

• Jaymina stresses the importance of self-care, including physical and mental health, to be the best parent and professional.

• Angela asks Jaymina about her identity before and after becoming a mother.

• Jaymina reflects on how motherhood changes a person, making them more organized and responsible.

• Angela shares her own experience of becoming more planned and structured as a mother.

• Jaymina talks about the challenge of redefining her identity and balancing old and new aspects of herself.

• Jaymina expresses her goal to slow down, connect with her community, and cultivate hobbies in 2025.

• Jaymina enjoys running and walking her dog, and she aims to include her children in her self-care activities.

• Angela shares her experience of hiking with her children and the benefits of spending time in nature.

• Both agree on the importance of nature for mental and physical well-being.

• Angela asks Jaymina about the impact of motherhood on her leadership style.

• Jaymina explains how motherhood has made her more flexible and understanding, recognizing the gray areas in life.

• Jaymina shares an example of supporting a team member through personal challenges, emphasizing the importance of validation and empathy.

• Angela relates this to the importance of validating children's emotions and being present for them.

• Jaymina advises aspiring leaders to be realistic about their goals and seek mentorship and support.

• Angela shares experiences of women stepping back from leadership roles due to the demands of motherhood.

• Jaymina emphasizes the importance of having a support system, including mentors and role models.

• Both discuss the value of continuous learning and growth in their professions.

• Jaymina reflects on the challenges of motherhood and the importance of self-compassion.

• Angela and Jaymina discuss the importance of setting intentions rather than goals to manage expectations.

• Jaymina shares her mantra of taking things one day at a time.

About the Guest:

Jaymina Patel was born in Chicago Illinois and grew a love for learning about what makes people tick, what motivates them and what we can do when we are stuck. As a Psychology Major at the University of Illinois at Chicago, she completed research with tenured professors including Susan Goldman and later in graduate school, she pursued more research and assistance on Roberto Swazo's The Bilingual Counselor's Guide to Spanish. During her graduate years pursuing a Master's in Clinical Psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Jaymina spent time in Guatemala providing service learnings to various populations and psychoeducation in schools around Antigua, Guatemala.

Jaymina had worked as a family therapist in Georgia, providing community mental health services to the Spanish speaking population and later grew to work with children facing adversity and taking on further leadership roles supervising new graduates. During her time in Arizona, Jaymina has worked predominantly in private practice for the past four years, helping children and their families work through anxiety, depression, blended family adjustments, life transitions, trauma and adverse childhood experiences. Currently Jaymina runs her own private practice online where she assists clients overcome stressors via teletherapy and provides consulting for Wellness Homes of Arizona, a Residential Behavioral Health Facility in which clients are recovering from chronic mental health issues and addictions.

Jaymina's therapeutic approaches consist of culturally sensitive, trauma informed care in which she provides Narrative therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral therapy to allow clients to become more mindful of their strengths and build a toolbox of coping skills they can access during times of distress. These tools are bound to lead us to a victor mindset over a victim mindset.

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**Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**

In this episode, Angela is with guest, Diana Lunzer, a two-time founder and mother of three boys under 10, about balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship. Diana emphasizes the importance of systems and automation in managing her businesses, which help her achieve a state of "calibration" rather than balance. She shares her corporate journey, highlighting the challenges of climbing the ladder while raising a family, and the impact of a difficult boss on her decision to start her own business. Diana discusses the benefits of empathy and organization from motherhood, and her upcoming membership launch in early 2025 aimed at helping others with productivity and organization. "Going through motherhood gave me a different perspective and just more empathy to support and show up stronger for my team, because everybody's got things going on."

Learn more about: Challenges of Juggling Motherhood and Entrepreneurship

• Diana explains that she hates the term "balance" and prefers "calibration," comparing it to old-school scales that need constant adjustment.

• She attributes her success to having systems in place, including automations and delegation of tasks.

• Diana's business helps other founders implement custom systems to become more productive and organized.

• Angela Tait and Diana discuss the importance of automating tasks to save time and be more efficient, especially for moms.

• Angela Tait inquires about Diana's journey into motherhood and how her corporate career evolved with each child.

• Diana shares that she had all three boys while in corporate America, with each child making it more challenging to balance career and family.

• She describes the support she received from her bosses during her first two children but faced challenges with her third child under a new boss.

• Diana's experience with a bad boss led her to leave her corporate job and start her own business, seeking a more fulfilling and supportive environment.

• Diana reflects on the positive impact of her bad boss, as it pushed her to create her own business and pursue her own vision.

• Angela Tait and Diana discuss the flexibility and freedom of being an entrepreneur, allowing for more time with family and personal interests.

• Diana emphasizes the importance of finding joy and rediscovering personal interests, such as tennis and spa days, to maintain balance and happiness.

• Angela Tait shares her own experience with the peloton and the importance of taking time for personal well-being.

• Diana talks about the difficulty of balancing motherhood and career, especially during the first year postpartum with each child.

• She shares her strategy of creating a "joy list" to rediscover what brings her joy and prioritizing those activities.

• Journaling has been a crucial tool for Diana to reconnect with herself and her emotions, especially during her corporate days.

• Angela Tait and Diana discuss the importance of setting realistic expectations and giving oneself grace in the journey of self-discovery.

• Diana discusses the biases and expectations women face in the workplace, especially during their childbearing years.

• She shares her internal struggle with pursuing a leadership role while planning to have another child and the challenges of balancing career growth with family responsibilities.

• Diana emphasizes the importance of calibration and prioritizing what is most important in each season of life.

• Angela Tait and Diana discuss the flexibility and support needed in the workplace to accommodate both career and family responsibilities.

• Diana highlights the importance of empathy and understanding in the workplace, especially for mothers.

• She shares how her experience as a mother has helped her be more empathetic and supportive of her team members.

• Diana discusses the challenges of proving oneself in the workplace while balancing family responsibilities and the importance of creating a supportive environment.

• Angela Tait and Diana agree on the need for psychological safety and empathy in the workplace to support mental health and productivity.

About the Guest:

Productivity & Systems Expert // Certified Notion Consultant Diana turns founders into productive powerhouses, so they can create their 7-figure empire. She is a 2x founder, on a mission to help fellow ambitious business owners who feel overwhelmed as they scale their companies.

Diana is passionate about helping founders and their teams get organized and spend their time more intentionally, to scale and make more money, while enjoying the ride! She specializes in identifying where your business is leaking time and money. Diana uncovers your productivity gaps and system inefficiencies, then uses tools like Notion, Zapier, and Manychat to help your business scale with more organization, peace, and profit. Connect with Diana:

Instagram: @DianaLunzerFor longer form Notion how-to's subscribe to my YouTubeSubscribe to my Founder's Flow newsletterVisit the Flow State website Connect with Angela:

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**Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**

Melissa Dean, a midwife and founder of Casa Natal Birth and Wellness Center in Los Gatos, California, discussed her journey from corporate America to becoming a doula and midwife. She emphasized the importance of preconception care, addressing postpartum depletion, and integrating functional medicine. Melissa highlighted the challenges of balancing motherhood, running a business, and maintaining a strong marriage. She stressed the significance of teaching children self-sufficiency and fostering a supportive family environment. Melissa's center was voted the best birth center in the Bay Area in 2024, reflecting her dedication to holistic care and client relationships. "Being a mom is a lot. It requires so much of our attention and every minute. It's very easy for moms to be overlooked, and they don't focus on taking care of themselves." Learn more about: Melissa's Journey into Midwifery

• Started as a doula when her youngest child was 2 years old (25 years ago)

• Worked as a doula for 10 years before becoming a midwife

• Motivated to become a midwife after witnessing avoidable issues in hospital births

• Went back to school in her 40s to study midwifery

• Traveled to the Philippines for hands-on experience in managing birth complications

Work-Life Balance and Parenting

• Left corporate job 3 months after returning from maternity leave with first child

• Homeschooled her children, which provided flexibility for her work as a doula

• Taught children to be self-sufficient from a young age (e.g., cooking, laundry by age 10)

• Encouraged children to have adventures and build confidence without constant supervision

• Maintained a "no phone at the table" rule to foster genuine connection during family time

Functional Medicine and Postpartum Care

• Pursued functional medicine to better serve clients with underlying health issues

• Focuses on preconception care, pregnancy nutrition, and postpartum depletion

• Aims to prevent pregnancy complications and improve long-term maternal health

• Provides virtual consultations for postpartum care beyond the Bay Area

Family Traditions and Maintaining Connections

• Rents a house for family gatherings to accommodate grown children and their partners

• Celebrates holidays flexibly based on everyone's availability

• Focuses on experiences and activities rather than material gifts

• Encourages each couple to plan an activity and prepare a meal during family gatherings

• Prioritizes outdoor activities and games over TV watching during family time

Marriage and Relationship Maintenance

• Consistently prioritized relationship with husband above all else

• Unified parenting approach to prevent children from playing parents against each other

• Made time for regular getaways as a couple, even when finances were tight

• Demonstrated to children the importance of putting the marital relationship first

About the Guest: Melissa Dean is a midwife and the founder of Casa Natal Birth and Wellness Center, located in Los Gatos, California. In 2024, Casa Natal was voted the Best birth center in the Bay Area by Bay Area Parents. As a functional and integrative medicine practitioner, Melissa combines her expertise in women's health with her midwife practice. She provides care with an emphasis on preconception, childbirth, postpartum depletion syndrome.

Melissa's expertise has been featured in leading publications such as The Bump, Today's Parent, Patient, InHealth and The CheckUp. She has been a featured guest on leading podcasts such as Dear Doula, Sparking Wholeness, The Hypnobirthing Podcast, Papaya Health, The Freely Rooted Mama. Connect with MelissaConnect on LinkedIn Website Instagram

Connect with Angela:Book a Meeting Connect on LinkedIn Check out my Website **Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**

The episode features a conversation with Jeannie Culbertson, a single mother of 6 children who owns two businesses - an editing business and an insurance agency. Jeannie shares her journey into motherhood, including having her first child unexpectedly while planning to join the Air Force, and raising a son with a congenital heart defect. She discusses how martial arts and church helped provide discipline and community for her large family. Jeannie also talks about transitioning from truck driving to building successful editing and insurance businesses that allow her the flexibility to be present for her children. The conversation explores how Jeannie's experience as a mother has prepared her for the challenges of entrepreneurship and leadership.

"I fortunately have only had one or two people get angry with me, but having dealt with children and learning that it's not about you, you're the one who's in charge. So you learn to take control of a situation. You have the confidence to handle the situation."

Learn more about:

• Unexpected journey into single motherhood

• Leveraged martial arts, church, and flexibility to manage large family

• Pivoted careers from truck driving to editing and insurance

• Parenting skills translated to valuable business leadership abilities

• Prioritized work-life harmony through boundaries, delegation, and self-care

• And so much more!

Connect with Jeanie:

Connect on LinkedIn

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**Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**

Angela emphasized the importance of flexibility in the workplace, particularly for working mothers, as it allows them to better manage their professional and personal responsibilities, reducing stress and burnout. She highlighted the benefits of hybrid and remote work options, customized schedules, and flexible locations, which can attract and retain top talent. Angela encouraged business owners and leaders to consider these factors when shaping their company culture and policies.

"Hybrid and remote work options is huge, because offering that remote or hybrid schedule allows moms to save time on commuting and be more present at home while staying productive at work. Being a mom working from home, I can put in a quick load of laundry, I can start the dishwasher. It just helps create peace of mind that like some things that need to be done in the house, again, sometimes this doesn't always fall on the the mom, but a lot of times it does, and so that is why I am trying to advocate to clients that I'm working with. If they want more women in their company, they need to be thinking about these options."

Learn more about

• Angela to share stories and feedback from working moms on how flexibility in work schedules and culture has positively impacted their productivity, dedication, and retention in their roles.

• Business owners and leaders to consider offering flexible schedules, remote or hybrid work options, and customized schedules to attract and retain top talent, especially working moms.

• Angela to continue advocating for the importance of flexibility in the workforce and its impact on attracting and retaining talent, particularly working moms.

• And so much more!

Resources:

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**Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**

I recount my unexpected journey into motherhood while balancing my career as a virtual life coach and consultant. When I became pregnant with my first child, Henry, I faced significant challenges—no health insurance, a limited support network in Arizona, and a relationship with my partner, Ryan, that was still uncertain. Despite these difficulties, I made the decision to keep the pregnancy and eventually returned to work to secure health benefits. After delivery, I managed my new responsibilities as a mother while working full-time, dealing with sleep deprivation, and figuring out childcare arrangements. This experience has taught me the resilience and strength it takes to be a working mother, and I now aim to raise awareness and provide support for others through my podcast.

Learn more about:

• Unexpected Pregnancy and Initial Challenges

• Decision to Keep the Baby and Career Concerns

• Balancing Work and Motherhood

• Returning to Work and Childcare Challenges

• Emotional and Relationship Struggles

• Empowerment and Future Aspirations

Resources:

Connect with Angela:

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**Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**

Gina, an experienced employment attorney based in Phoenix, discusses her career trajectory in employment law, her approach to balancing professional responsibilities with motherhood, and the specific challenges encountered by working mothers. She underscores the importance of organization, transparency, and establishing clear boundaries within the workplace. Gina also highlights significant recent legislation, such as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Break Time for Nursing Mothers Act, which mandate reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees. She shares practical strategies for achieving work-life balance, including incorporating regular walks with her spouse and prioritizing exercise. Gina advocates for employers to exceed basic legal requirements to more fully support working mothers and strengthen talent retention.

Learn more about:

• Introduction and Background of Gina

• Balancing Work and Family Life

• Navigating Pregnancy and Motherhood in the Workplace

• Biases and Misconceptions in the Workplace

• Supporting Working Mothers in Leadership Roles

• Recent Laws and Legal Protections for Pregnant Workers

• And so much more

Resources:

Connect with Gina:

[email protected]

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**Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**

Hello and welcome to the very first episode of Mom-Me Podcast. I am Angela, your host, a mother and business owner, discussing the challenges of balancing work and motherhood. I share my background in organization development and change management, detailing my transition into HR and the difficulties I faced along the way—like limited maternity benefits and the pressure to return to work soon after pregnancy. Despite these challenges, I built a successful HR team and became an advocate for better support for working mothers. This experience inspired me to start a podcast aimed at empowering and supporting women leaders who are also mothers, with a strong emphasis on the need for flexibility and understanding in the workplace.

Learn more about:

• Navigating the Balance Between Work and Motherhood

• Challenges in the Early Career and Motherhood

• Building Structure and Support in a New Role

• Returning to Work Post-Maternity Leave

• Influence of Motherhood on Leadership Style

Resources

Book a Meeting

Connect on LinkedIn

Check out my Website

**Check out our best selling collaborative book with other female founders on Amazon: Taking the Plunge**