**Content Warning: This episode contains details of plastic surgery, plastic surgery recovery, medical terms, etc. If you find this kind of content is triggering or disturbing, maybe skip this one.**

In Mommy Makeover (pt. 1), I dove into the 'why' behind my choice to have elective plastic surgery. I shared the process of preparing for my surgery as well as how the day of surgery went. Now, in Mommy Makeover (pt. 2), we talk about what happened AFTER surgery. 

**Note: This episode was recorded MONTHS ago and speaks from the perspective of my personal experience 9 weeks post-op.

I share details on my recovery, what the experience was like both physically and mentally to go through plastic surgery recovery, what milestones I hit when, and much, much more. You know me, I don't shirk on the details.

That all being said, there's plenty I left of out of this episode. Please message me on Instagram at @giftofgab.podcast if there's any stone you'd like me to turn over for future episodes!

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly! 
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

In Episode 22 of The Gift of Gab, I go into detail about my recent mommy makeover. Everything from my 'why' behind choosing to invest in elective surgery, to a step by step on how surgery day went, to the changes I'm already feeling in my life being only a few weeks (not even) post op.

On deck for the next episode will talk about recovering from the procedure what I would recommend to others to prepare for this or any other similar procedure.

The Gift of Gab can be streamed anywhere you listen to podcasts!

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

Happy 2024 everyone! It's been a while. 

Since deciding to take a podcasting break in the month of December, I have been in a state of consumption. And when I say that, I don't mean just food. I mean taking in content, art from other creators, diving into shows, and even reading a few books (which I'm super proud of)!

But I'm back for a super speedy episode which I recorded in one take and minimal editing. So when you sit down for this 15(ish) minute life update from me, know that you're getting the real, raw, uncut audio from when I sat down to record to what you're streaming now.

You'll hear a bit about what I've been up to. Where my head is at. And diving into what's taking up all of my mental, physical, and emotional focus right now.

As always, thank you for listening and supporting this little podcast that could!

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

I cannot believe I've writing an episode description for my 20th episode of Gift of Gab. I've been spending the week reminiscing on this podcasting journey and took some extra time to reflect on how this all started and how far this project has come. 

My ONLY goal for this hobby project was to publish 13 episodes. I heard a stat somewhere.. probably TikTok.. that 90% of podcasts fail or fade within the first 12 episodes. 

So that was my plan. 

✨ Get to 13 episodes and be in that top 10% of podcast creators ✨

But here we are.. I kept going and today will mark TWENTY episodes 🤯

During this episode you hear me reflect on this journey through five key learnings I've taken away from this hobby project.

1. Honoring the creative struggle
2. Shedding light on the hidden workload
3. Expressing gratitude (like.. soooooo much gratitude) for all of the unexpected support from this budding community
4. Learning lessons from my listeners
5. Making choices on how to move forward with this project

A huge thank you to my guests who have been so generous with their time and knowledge for the Gift of Gab listeners: Jennifer Radke, Katrina Mateski, Jennifer Strecker, Steve Retka, Chelsea Watts, MBA, Orlando Gonzalez, Jenny Friday, Erin O'Donnell, Kelsey Finnvik, Sarah Southerland, Bennett Cooper, CFP®, APMA®, and Mary Worley.

And thank you to ANYONE who has given their unrefundable life energy to supporting this project. I appreciate you more than I can say.

Gift of Gab episodes will resume in January 2024!

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

Alright students! Class is in SESSION!

Join me as I sit down with Dr. Mary Worley, a seasoned communications professor at UW-Eau Claire, to talk social media education for the future professional communicators of the working world and her innovative approach to teaching. In this episode you'll hear us discuss how she engages students in the learning process for the sheer joy of knowledge acquisition. 

Dr. Worley shares her insights on co-creating a dynamic learning experience and fostering collaborative learning environments. She also discusses her teaching strategy which utilizes modern, purpose-driven learning to create deliverables that ultimately become portfolio builders for her students. Her teaching methodology serves a purpose beyond the classroom, preparing students for real-world applications for internships and beyond. 

Join us on this journey into the heart of educational innovation, where learning becomes a communal endeavor and the classroom extends far beyond its physical boundaries.

Resources from the episode:

• Connect with Dr. Worley on social: LinkedIn
• A recommended textbook by Karen freberg: Social Media for Strategic Communication: Creative Strategies and Research-Based Applications
• Insights from Dr. Worley's the classroom: Mentimeter interactive presentation results for CJ272 (Social Media and Communication)
• A few places Dr. Worley looks to learn: Arik Hanson, Ann Handley, Abby Gleason, Adam Ritchie, Molly McPherson, PRSA (Public Relations Society of America), IPR (Institute for Public Relations).

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

Disclaimier: Strategies and topics discussed on this podcast are not financial advice and are for informational purposes only, and listeners should seek professional guidance for their unique situations. 

Join us for a deep dive into the world of money management and financial expertise in this one-hour podcast episode.

We've got Ben Cooper in the hot seat, tackling the big questions about your financial health. Ben Cooper is a financial expert with one of the largest wealth managers in Minnesota. Ben centers his services around growing the wealth of individuals, families, and business owners has 10 years of industry experience along with numerous designations.

What exactly does a healthy relationship with money look like?
Ben's got the answers!

And he doesn't stop there.
 We'll also be shedding light on the red and green flags to watch out for when you're considering working with a financial pro.

What should you be on the lookout for? Ben's got your back.

Plus, we'll debunk some of the most common misconceptions about managing your hard-earned cash. It's a must-listen for anyone wanting to up their financial game!

Resources mentioned in the episode:
- Connect with Ben on LinkedIn
- Ben's Book Recommendation: The Psychology of Money
- For giggles, the #GirlMath craze on TikTok

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

I think I've met my Oklahoma soulmate in fellow Social Media Professional, Sarah Southerland.

When you think of fun, witty content online, the first brand to pop into your head is likely not a government agency. But the Oklahoma Deptartment of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC for my own sanity) is knocking it out of the park.

In this episode, you'll meet and hear from Sarah Southerland who is the brains behind the clever content on ODWC'S channels.

And it's literally just her.
She is the social team.

The content she puts out on the ODWC's channels goes viral over, and over, and over again. Garnering a staggering amount of impressions and engagement. She's built up these channels over the last few years with the agency to into monumental communities and her list of notable successes just continue to grow.

In this episode we discuss...
- Sarah's background and career journey.
- The genesis of ODWC's social boom.
- Insights on managing mental health as a small social team who goes viral CONSTANTLY.
- How to strategically prove value to the agency beyond vanity metrics.
- And soooo much more :)

This episode also comes with special appearances from all of our dogs and is jam packed with giggles and social media sarcasm.

Enjoy!

Episode resources:
Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
Follow OK Department of Conservation on.. Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram
Read Sarah's Interview with AdAge

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

This episode is all about celebrating your authentic self and celebrating joy in everyday, seemingly ordinary moments!

Fitness friend, Kelsey Finnvik, has a contagious positivity and I couldn't be more proud to know her.

Kelsey and I covered a lot of ground on this episode but what you can expect to hear from us includes:
- Kelsey's career journey, full circle moments, and coming back to your passions.
- Chasing moments of joy and giving others pieces of that goodness.
- The power of supportive communities.
- The importance of rest and building a toolkit to care for yourself before you get burnt out.
- and soooooo much more!

It's a long one so grab a snack and settle in. You're gonna want to hear EVERY minute of this beautiful conversation.

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

This episode.. dare I say with Halloween just around the corner.. was an absolute TREAT!

Social Media professional and prior teammate of mine, Erin O'Donnell, joined me for an amazing conversation focusing on early careers in social media.

We hear from Erin about her career journey into her social profession, her tips for tools budding social pros should take time to study and learn, a brief detour into horror films, and back to her hopes and dreams for the future of the social media professional space.

You can feel Erin's passion and energy throughout this episode both for her charcuterie of personal hobbies as well as her tenacity for learning to be the best social storyteller she can be.

If you can't tell, I adore Erin and think VERY highly of her work. AND YOU can connect with her to get to know her better too. Here's Erin's LinkedIn.

Resources mentioned in this Episode:

• Erin's recommended newsletters:
  • Social Media Today
  • Sprout Social Blog
  • Future Social by Jack Appleby
  • Link in Bio by Rachel Karten
  • Girl Power Marketing LinkedIn Page
• Erin's recommended tools: 
  • Canva (Website)
  • Social Media Management Solutions (G2 article.. a comprehensive list)
  • AI Tools (Medium article with recommendations)

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Mary Worley and one of her communications classes at UW-Eau Claire alongside Jennifer Radke, SMS, and CEO of the National Institute of Social Media (NISM). During our visit, Jennifer and I answered some burning questions from the future generation of communicators and professional marketers.

I figured, why only indulge the live audience? While they heard it first-hand, here's a brief recap of the discussion.

As always, if this inspired additional questions or curiosities,  DM them to @giftofgab.podcast and I'll do my best to make a future episode addressing the topic(s).

Resources from this Episode
Connect with Jennifer Radke on LinkedIn
Connect with Dr. Mary Worley on LinkedIn
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Communications Department Website
Listen to Chelsea's (@hungrygirl_mpls) Episode on Apple Podcasts

Suggested Learning Resources
National Institute of Social Media for Certifications and Webinars
Social Media Today for Daily Updates
Sprout Social's Arborateum for Industry Insights and Webinars

Episodes of Gift of Gab will publish weekly!
Follow along for more content on Instagram and TikTok: @giftofgab.podcast