That's Total Mom Sense

What’s one non-tech item in your home that instantly calms you down and has the power to transport you to another place? For me, it’s my Bodewell Living candle. The scents are an experience all their own, and lighting the candle and watching the wax melt into a pool is a meditative exercise in itself.

Bodewell Living came from humble beginnings and has grown over 250 doors across the US and Canada including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, HeyMama-owned Paynes Grey (an interior design site), Ojai Valley Inn and more. It was a fast and furious trajectory from zero to explosive. Founder Efstathia Tanji, lovingly known as Effie, started this tiny business in 2018. She sold candles out of the back of her SUV at her daughter's soccer practices. Friends told friends who told their friends and BAM! bodewell was born. But it wasn't easy. Retail giants took notice and Effie found herself drowning under the demands of packing and shipping out of her kitchen day and night. While her dreams materialized before her eyes, she lost sight of what was truly important. Her family. Her community. Her own self.

Over time, she has found her place in this world. Effie says, “The world is full of wonder, magic, and endless possibilities. There is space for each and every dreamer, maker, poet, designer, doctor, mother, fighter, believer. This is a time for collaboration over competition. It is a time for transparency and kindness. It is a time for personal as well as global awareness and growth. It is a time to give what you can and ask for what you need.”

Effie is the Founder, Designer, Storyteller, and Dreamer of bodewell living. She created it because she wanted to show her children that one could build something from nothing. That you could nurture what seems impossible. That you could scream out in failure and giggle in surprise. That you could build day and night. You could water and wait. You could hold your breath in anticipation. You could watch that something grow.

Effie resides in Playa Vista California with her husband Shawn, a firefighter captain and business partner (firefighter and candle maker) Ella, Nico, and Lexei.

Meet My Guest:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nina Meehan inspires the broader community as a skilled theatre producer, award-winning director, and dedicated arts educator, with expertise in youth development and creativity! Nina’s award-winning theatrical work for young people as CEO and Founder of Bay Area Children's Theatre has reached more than 1 million kids and adults and has toured nationally and internationally. Nina speaks and writes frequently about creative play, arts education, nonprofit management, and theatre for young audiences (TYA) and is the host of the Creative Parenting Podcast. She is also the proud Mama of three kids and a nature lover!

Meet My Guest:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you all know, my passion is storytelling and it’s been the common denominator in my work in media so it’s no wonder that I look for stories wherever I go. Did you ever think that a piece of jewelry could tell a story? I am so pleased to announce my partnership with a demi-fine jewelry brand, Klas Squared. We have a very special surprise for you at the end.

But for now, I want to shine a light on the founders of the brand, a mother-daughter duo - Lori and Kirsten Schmidtke, and share their story.

About Lori Schmidtke

Lori Schmidtke is the founder and lead designer of Klas squared. With a career in fashion design spanning over three decades, Lori’s creative brilliance is the passion behind the brand’s designs and aesthetic. Her artistic vision combined with a focus on quality is evident in the modern minimalism and clean composition of each piece. Lori designs and handcrafts Klas squared jewelry in her home studio in London, Canada.

Designing for Klas squared is all consuming for the designer. Lori thrives on the process of sourcing materials based on colour, shape and texture and finding new and modern ways to create jewelry for the everyday, powerful woman:

“I see everything through a lens: colour, shape, and composition. Whether it’s admiring nature, fashion, contemporary art or travel, I’m always envisioning it as a piece of jewelry”.

About Kirsten Schmidtke

Kirsten Schmidtke leads the business, branding, and content strategy for Klas squared. With a successful background in business and creativity in her DNA, she was motivated to join forces with Lori for an opportunity to make a mark and leave an impact. She is drawn to the colour, detail and composition of fashion, falling in love with its ability to transform your mood, your energy, and your confidence.

Kirsten’s talent in the art of styling, curating a look, and creating a brand aesthetic, led her to the centre of Klas squared’s campaigns modeling the newest designs. Although much of her time is spent analyzing numbers, driving business strategy, and writing copy, her love for the creative process is equally as important, and fulfilling.

“I don’t get to make all of the decisions [at work], but I do get to decide what I wear. I believe fashion has the ability to transform your energy, and accessories have the power to take it a step further: to express your personality, your beliefs, and what you stand for.”

Meet My Guest:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Milestones with Nanit is a special podcast and video series on “That’s Total Mom Sense” sponsored by Nanit, a family tech company that specializes in smart baby monitors and sleepwear.

The anchor of this episode is why Nanit is so focused on the "Magic in the Crib." The idea that there is so much magic that takes place in the crib is one that CEO Sarah Dorsett is very passionate about, and that has influenced much of the innovation Nanit is so well known for. Memories came out of the drive Sarah and the Nanit team have to bring that magic to life for its families.

Episode Links:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Milestones with Nanit is a special podcast and video series on “That’s Total Mom Sense” sponsored by Nanit, a family tech company that specializes in smart baby monitors and sleepwear.

For the community episode, we focus on how Nanit is creating a modern version of the village. Our discussion begins with why Nanit created its community and how its extensive data has made Nanit uniquely equipped to foster a welcoming and educational environment where new parents can build their community.

Episode Links:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Milestones with Nanit is a special podcast and video series on “That’s Total Mom Sense” sponsored by Nanit, a family tech company that specializes in smart baby monitors and sleepwear.

There’s no owner’s manual when you have a baby. Nanit studies babies to learn and gather data and has found that the crib is where they do all their work (sound, physical development, where they are growing independently, 0-3 years are so critical).

CEO Sarah Dorsett shares an insider's take on what this family tech brand has built from baby monitors to sleepwear and how it all works.

Episode Links:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Milestones with Nanit is a special podcast and video series on “That’s Total Mom Sense” sponsored by Nanit, a family tech company that specializes in smart baby monitors and sleepwear. CEO, Sarah Dorsett and I talk about her journey as an executive in leadership, as a mother, and we hear from the Nanit team and community. Parenting is tough, especially in the early years when you’re getting the hang of things. We are here to support you through the growing pains and to celebrate your babies’ milestones along the way.

Episode Links:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s show isn’t just WHATEVER. It’s kind of a big deal and if you don’t feel like listening, AS IF. It’s going to be bewildering, leaving you bewitched. OK, I’ll stop with innendos, but I am fully fanning out because today, I have Elisa Donovan with me on “That’s Total Mom Sense.”

For over 20 years, Elisa Donovan has been a major part of pop culture. She began her film career when she played the role Amber in the iconic comedy Clueless. She later starred in the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210, playing bad girl Ginger LaMonica. She then went on to reprise her role of Amber for three seasons on the television series of Clueless. During which time she shot the Paramount/SNL Films comedy, A Night At The Roxbury. Then for three seasons Elisa played Morgan Cavanaugh on the monster hit series Sabrina The Teenage Witch.

Elisa was also the star and co-producer of the NBC comedy web series In Gayle We Trust, created and written by Brent Forrester (The Office), which was an unprecedented success for the network, garnering over 35MM views. Elisa was voted Reader Favorite as a Celebrity Mom Blogger for people.com and was hand selected by Sheryl Sandberg to be the voice for her #1 bestsellers Lean In and Option B. The audiobook for Lean In was also #1 on the charts and was submitted for a Grammy nomination.

Meet My Guest:

Press

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I am honored to bring you a very special interview to commemorate the holiday season and Diwali. It’s with a woman who embodies her feminity so effortlessly as an actor, author, producer, daughter, sister, wife, and mother of two - she’s Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Kareena Kapoor Khan is Bollywood royalty hailing from the Kapoor family who’s ancestry has revolutionized the film industry for generations.

She is the recipient of several awards including 6 Filmfare Awards and is one of Bollywood’s most popular and revered actresses. She received critical acclaim for her roles in Chameli, Omkara, Jab We Met, and Heroine. Her highest grossing releases include Singham Returns, Good Newz, 3 Idiots, Bodyguard, and Bajrangi Bhaijan.

Kareena hosts a radio show and has contributed as a co-writer to four books among them two are autobiographical memoirs, The Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva and My Pregnancy Bible: The Ultimate Manual for Moms to Be . She has started her own line of clothing and cosmetics for women, and has worked with UNICEF since 2014 to advocate for the education of girls and an increase in quality based education in India.

Kareena and her husband actor Saif Ali Khan have two sons, Taimur and Jeh.

Today we dive in to her career, her perspective as a woman in the entertainment industry, and her personal experience as mother. She shares her fun anecdotes and sage advice and is sure to delight. Listen in.

Meet My Guest:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I’m joined by a mom and daughter duo I’m sure many of you know - Anisha Ramakrishna and her mother Chitra. They’re both hilariously funny and were the lynchpin of the Bravo reality series, Family Karma.

After climbing the ranks of the New York City fashion industry and reaching the peak of her career, Anisha Ramakrishna decided to pursue her dreams of starting her own size-inclusive clothing line. She left her life in the city, including breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, to move back home with her family and follow in their entrepreneurial footsteps. After the successful launch of her clothing line, she is focused on her personal life. You can catch her on the Bravo TV show Family Karma, which showcases the lives of 7 young Indian professionals and their families. Family Karma is the first tv show in American television history with an all-Indian cast.

Chitra Ramakrishna was born and raised in Mumbai. She spent much of her time raising her three children and working in a business she founded with her husband. She is Anisha's mom and you can also catch her on Family Karma.

Meet My Guests:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices