Not That Kind of CEO - For Women Who Want More

What if the secret to a thriving business wasn’t working harder—but working smarter?

If you’ve ever felt like you’re spinning your wheels, drowning in endless to-dos, and never having enough time for the things that truly matter, this episode is for you. Too many mompreneurs believe that doing everything themselves is the only way to keep their business running smoothly. But what if that belief is holding you back?

In this episode, we dive into:

✔️ The biggest mindset blocks that keep mompreneurs stuck in the cycle of doing everything themselves

✔️ Why delegation isn’t an expense—it’s an investment in your business growth

✔️ How to identify what you can outsource today to reclaim your time and energy

✔️ The power of stepping into your role as a Vision Driven CEO

Episode reference: Outsmart perfectionism: boost your business with these techniques

🔹 Grab your free Balance Toolkit to start identifying what you can delegate and create more balance in your life.

🔹 Join the Priority List for my upcoming group program, where we tackle vision, systems, and balance for sustainable success.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow mompreneur who needs to hear this message. Let’s create more freedom, more joy, and a business that supports your life—not the other way around.

✨ It’s not about doing less. It’s about living more. Let’s make it happen.

🎧 Subscribe & Leave a Review – Your support helps us reach more mompreneurs on their journey to success!

FOLLOW AYLA: ⁠@ayladenhartog⁠

In this episode of The Female Entrepreneurs Network Podcast, I sit down with Nikki Lindgren, founder of Pennock, a digital marketing agency specializing in paid media and SEO for emerging DTC (direct-to-consumer) brands.

Nikki shares her journey from growing up in a 400-person town in Minnesota to running a fully remote, female-led agency in San Francisco, helping brands scale from $1M to $10M in revenue. We dive into:

✅ The surprising way she transitioned from corporate marketing to launching her agency (while 6 months pregnant with her third child!)

✅ How Pennock prioritizes female leadership and mom-friendly work culture

✅ Balancing business and motherhood while working alongside her husband

✅ Why moms make the best entrepreneurs (hello, multitasking superpowers!)

✅ Scaling a team and the key mindset shifts needed to build a sustainable, successful business

Plus, Nikki gets real about the challenges of perfectionism, fun in entrepreneurship, and staying connected to her vision. If you’re an entrepreneur navigating business growth and family life, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!

🔗 Connect with Nikki: Pennock.co

🎧 Listen now and tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Better yet: Get your weekly love letter! 💌 Because you rock, and you deserve a love letter!

Think company values are just for big corporations? Think again. Whether you’re a solopreneur or leading a small, flexible team, having clear values can be the game-changer you didn’t know you needed. In this episode, I dive deep into why defining your values is crucial for decision-making, avoiding burnout, and building a business that aligns with the life you actually want.

I share my own values, real-life stories (including lessons from my time at Hilton and a sales-driven recruitment agency), and actionable steps to define your own guiding principles. Plus, I give you a simple exercise to uncover your core values today!

What You’ll Learn:

✨ Why solopreneurs need company values just as much as big businesses

✨ How values help with consistency, decision-making, and avoiding burnout

✨ Real-life examples of values in action (from my own business and past jobs)

✨ A simple exercise to define your own values in minutes

✨ How to use values to attract the right clients and make aligned business decisions

🎯 Your Challenge: Define your top three business values today! Write them down, make them visible, and start using them as your business compass.

🔗 Resources & Next Steps:

✅ Download the FREE Balance Toolkit – your first step to building a vision-driven business

✅ Connect with me on Instagram for more insights and behind-the-scenes: @ayladenhartog

💬 Let’s continue the conversation! What are your top three business values? DM me or share them in your stories and tag me!

🚀 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow entrepreneurs who need more clarity and alignment in their business!

Balance. Is it real, or is it just a myth? Many believe balance is an impossible state—a fleeting moment rather than something we can truly achieve. But what if we’ve been thinking about balance all wrong?

In this episode, I break down why balance isn’t about perfection but about fluidity. I share:

✅ A powerful rope-walking analogy to help you rethink balance

✅ The key mistake most mompreneurs make when striving for balance

✅ How to identify, release, and stabilize your “weights” in business and life

✅ Why some imbalance isinevitable—and how to prepare for it

✅ The #1 question to ask yourself when life feels out of control

I also open up about my own recent experience with life throwing curveballs—sick kids, an injured husband, and a business to run—and how my systems helped me stay grounded.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow mompreneur!

💬 DM me on Instagram (⁠@ayladenhartog⁠) with your biggest takeaway from this episode!

Better yet:Get your weekly love letter! 💌 Because you rock, and you deserve a love letter!

Ever had one of those mornings where stress completely hijacks your brain, and suddenly, creativity feels miles away?

Yeah, me too. In this episode, I’m sharing a personal story about a chaotic morning that threw me off—and exactly how I got my focus and flow back.

You’ll learn:

✨ How stress messes with your creativity (and why you can’t just “push through” it)

✨ Quick ways to reset—like vocal outlets, breathwork, and EFT

✨ How to reignite inspiration through nature, meditation, and simple mindset shifts

Because let’s be real: stress happens. But it doesn’t have to derail your work. Tune in and get the tools to bounce back faster. 🎧

00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Podcast01:31 A Stressful Morning Incident05:52 Understanding the Stress Response09:45 Techniques for Stress Relief14:26 Reconnecting with Inspiration17:39 Conclusion and Resources

Grab yourFREE Vision-Driven Balance Toolkit. With just a few short exercises, it will give you clarity about what’s on your plate, and how you can create a workable balance. Remember, becoming vision-driven is the easiest and fastest way to create a better balance between growing your business and enjoying motherhood!

FOLLOW AYLA:⁠@ayladenhartog⁠

Have you ever felt drained from constantly pushing through tasks instead of feeling aligned with what you love? In this episode, I discuss the importance of alignment, why it's my word of the year, and how it can transform your business and personal life.

Here are three key takeaways for you:

I once had a massive burnout because I worked so incredibly out of alignment. So by now, I know what happens when you do this for to long. If you feel like this is something you need to work at as well, my upcoming (free) challenge is the perfect place to start.

Starting January 27th, you'll get a short video in your inbox for 5 days, with a quick exercise to get your show back on the road. Stop feeling overwhelmed, get back into focus by creating clarity in your chaos.

REGISTER NOW!

FOLLOW AYLA: ⁠@ayladenhartog⁠

In today’s episode, I’m tackling holiday stress—especially the kind that seems to land squarely on moms. From the pressure to create Pinterest-perfect holidays to juggling a million to-dos, we’ll talk through practical strategies to help you feel more grounded, joyful, and connected this season.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

00:52 – The stress spiral and how to avoid it

02:00 – Why “realistic expectations” might just save your holiday joy

05:54 – Managing boundaries (yes, even around gifts and family dynamics)

09:38 – The magic of carving out personal time, even when it feels impossible

12:10 – A reminder to pause and anchor yourself in gratitude

13:27 – Final tips for a calmer, happier holiday season and a heartfelt farewell

This episode is your gentle nudge to prioritize done over perfect, set boundaries, and—most importantly—take care of you. Because a joyful holiday starts with you feeling at ease.

FOLLOW AYLA: ⁠@ayladenhartog⁠

Join the Overwhelm to Focus Challenge - 5 days to clarity

Ever catch yourself spiraling into a loop of negative thoughts, wondering how it affects your mood and decisions?

In this episode, I open up about my own journey of breaking free from that cycle by mastering my mindset. Together, we’ll dive into how you can shift your mental and emotional state to completely transform your life.

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with:

1️⃣ Clarity on why getting into a peak state is a game-changer for your daily interactions and overall happiness.

2️⃣ Actionable strategies to spot, stop, and redirect negative thoughts, helping you reclaim control of your mind.

3️⃣ A playful yet powerful tip so you can detach from self-critical thoughts and improve how you speak to yourself.

Plus, I’ll share the delicate dance between staying energized and embracing calm detachment—and how both are crucial for your well-being.

✨ Want to start your year with intention? Join me in January for the “Overwhelm to Focus” challenge—a 5-day journey to uncover your vision and create clarity in your life and business. CLICK HERE to join!

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 - My story: From negativity to empowerment

00:44 - What is a peak state, and why it matters

03:19 - Recognizing and shifting unhelpful thought patterns

06:26 - Practical tips to step into your peak state

17:07 - How to handle your ego and embrace detachment

23:46 - Wrapping up + Your next step to clarity

Hit play, and let’s get you one step closer to a more focused, energized, and positive YOU!

Have you ever felt small and exposed, like the rug was pulled out from under you in front of others? I faced just that this week, and I’m sharing how I not only overcame it but turned it into a moment of growth. In this episode, we dive into the power of processing emotions, why it’s essential to feel them through, and practical strategies to keep your emotional strength intact.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

1. Why processing emotions instead of avoiding them leads to true emotional resilience.

2. How unresolved emotions can show up physically—and what to do to let them go.

3. Simple ways to reflect on your day and stay grounded, even during emotional challenges.

Join me as we talk about how feeling your emotions can help you recover faster and stay strong, no matter what life throws at you.

FOLLOW AYLA: ⁠@ayladenhartog⁠

JOIN THE CHALLENGE: From overwhelm to focus: 5 days to clarity

In this episode of The Female Entrepreneurs Network Podcast, I’m diving into the tricky connection between stress and physical pain—something I know all too well from my own experience.

We’re talking about how chronic stress can show up as aches, tension, and all kinds of discomfort, especially for women (yep, we store stress differently than men!).

I’ll share some tips that have helped me, like therapy, body scans, and staying active, plus some game-changers like setting up an ergonomic workspace and practicing self-compassion (because, let’s be real, we’re our own worst critics sometimes).

If you’re dealing with stress-related pain or just want to feel better in your body, this one’s for you! Let’s figure out how to take care of ourselves without the guilt.

FOLLOW AYLA: ⁠@ayladenhartog⁠

My upcoming group program is now open for subscriptions, you can get on the waitlist: HERE.