For Winston Meikle, serving others is a lifelong calling that drives his work in nursing and approach to living a full life. After starting his healthcare experience in high school as a home health aid, Winston continued on to earn his LPN at the age of 18, setting the course for completion of his RN, MSN, and MBA degrees in the years to come. In 2025, with 40 years of nursing experience, he published his debut book, the Power of Love: A Nursing Theory, exploring the connection between spirituality and quantum science to support patient care. Join us for a thought-provoking episode of the Mama Mode podcast as Emily and Winston discuss his career, book, and the power of positivity that he sees as transformational in nursing. He’ll walk us through the most memorable experiences in his professional career that helped shape his approach to and outlook on care as he and Emily consider how these principles can be applied to motherhood and daily life beyond medicine. To learn more about Winston’s work, visit https://poweroflovetheory.com .

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As she carried the stress of childcare, work, and daily life as a single parent, Samaria Gaines, mom of 3, began to lose sight of her identity outside of motherhood. When she returned to her job just 6 weeks postpartum, she had the realization that her skillset and work experience could lay the foundation for her own business and pursuing passions long put on hold. Today Samaria balances her business clients, home life, and work as an identity coach with her online community, The Mom Tribe, where she helps moms connect through conversation and the common experience of motherhood. Join us on the Mama Mode podcast as Samaria shares her journey with Emily, from first baby to first business, and how she encourages moms to reconnect, rediscover, and rise as they find their identity inside and outside of being a mom. Learn more about Samaria’s work on YouTube and Skool.

Baby Sleep Training Consultant Ann Marie Harriger of AM Smiles has walked alongside more than 600 families over 8 years, creating customized sleep plans and providing sleep training guidance for happier, more well-rested babies and parents. When Emily found herself stuck in an unsustainable bedtime routine with baby #3, she knew something needed to change, but wasn’t sure how to effectively manage sleep in a way that felt in-tune with her parenting style. Overwhelmed and intimidated by the myriad sleep training methods, she consulted Ann Marie to put together a personalized sleep training plan that allowed her to support healthy sleep habits for everyone in the house at her own pace and comfort level. Today, Emily checks in with Ann Marie to provide an update on her sleep training journey one year later and to reflect on the experience of working with @am_smiles_sleepcoach to gain a better understanding of sleep training and its impact on the family as a whole. Tune in for all the details and visit https://amsmilessleeptraining.com/ for more about Ann Marie’s work, consultations, and her free starter course.

After having her first child and struggling to find a career that allowed her the flexibility and freedom she sought to care for her daughter while providing for her family, Jessica Paxton, now a Business Idea Coach and homeschooling mom of 3, began exploring freelance work to meet that goal. Her first virtual assistant gig gave her the encouraging push to move forward as a freelancer and she began earning on her own terms. Today, she not only continues to freelance, but also helps moms who feel unqualified to pursue freelancing find the courage and direction to put their own skills and experience to work for them. Join us on the Mama Mode podcast as Emily and Jessica discuss the messy action of entrepreneurship, building business around your life in its current season, and the reality of freelancing with the unpredictabilities of motherhood. To learn more about Jessica Paxton and how she can help you find a freelance idea that fits your skills, strengths, and life, visit https://nichewithjess.com/ or follow @nichewithjess on Instagram.

For Julia Bocchese of Julia Renee Consulting, planning for a family meant building a career that would allow greater availability and flexibility when kids entered the picture. Now a mom of 2, Julia continues to run her own business as an SEO, Pinterest, and AI Search Consultant serving clients in creative and holistic fields. Today on the Mama Mode podcast, Julia walks us through her thought process in choosing entrepreneurship, how her business changed after becoming a mom, and the ups and downs of working from home with a growing family. From bringing babies to conferences to managing work time between wake windows, she’s sharing her encouragement for other working moms in this season of motherhood. Press play for some real-life insight on how successful WFH moms are managing it all and their best tips for making it work. Learn more about Julia Renee Consulting at https://juliareneeconsulting.com or on Instagram @juliareneeconsulting

Between babies 2 and 3, Emily met her neighbor, Tina, who was in the thick of postpartum with her first newborn. Two years and nearly two babies later, Emily and Tina reminisce about the early days of their friendship and the power of knowing you aren’t alone in your postpartum journey. Join us on the Mama Mode podcast as they dive into the importance of showing up for fellow moms, even when you don’t know exactly what to say. We’re dishing on the wildest things people say to new and expecting moms, finding moments of joy to hold onto during survival mode, and navigating personal, professional, and parenting transitions all at once. If you’re a new mama looking for some encouragement or seeking ways to support the new mothers in your life, tune in for this honest and heartfelt catch-up now streaming.

What do you do when you’re postpartum with an infant that’s just trailed a massive blowout through the house as out-of-town guests arrive at your door? If you’re today’s Mama Mode podcast guest, you write it ALL down. Alyssa Belfiglio is a former preschool teacher turned stay-at-home-mom and author of You Don’t Know Nana and When We Speak, We Speak to Strangers. A lifelong writer, Alyssa began participating in novel writing challenges as a teenager and returned to long-form writing during the pandemic. Today on the podcast, she’s sharing more about her process and how storytelling helps her reexamine real life situations with perspective and humor as she grows as a writer and new mom. Settle in for some real talk about the first year of motherhood, everything we wish we knew ahead of time about pregnancy and postpartum, and how we can help ourselves and fellow mamas through art and connection. Learn more about Alyssa’s work at https://alyssabelfigliobooks.com or on Instagram @alyssabelfiglio.books

What if our identities in motherhood and the workforce didn’t have to be at odds? Certified Professional Career Coach and founder of Your Career Partner, Jessica Visek, knows that working moms can continue to achieve professionally or pivot into a career change while remaining present in parenthood, with the right partnership. In today’s episode of the Mama Mode podcast, Jessica encourages listeners to see the benefits that motherhood can bring to a job, discusses why her clients with children often reevaluate their careers, and how she helps them communicate and position their skills and experience to prospective employers. She shares more about her own career path, from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, and breaks down the major considerations working moms face when returning to work after maternity leave or a longer break. If you’re a new mom nearing the end of your leave, or reexamining your career in any season of motherhood, join us for a conversation about finding clarity and confidence as you take your next steps. To learn more about Jessica’s work and coaching, visit https://yourcareerpartner.com/ or connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-visek-career-coach-cpcc-mjsc-cic-ncope-cprw/

With a large family and a professional background in early childhood education, Christina always knew she’d be a mom one day. When infertility made that day seem distant, she committed to finding solutions and learning more about her body with the help of fertility specialists and a holistic healthcare provider. Today on the Mama Mode podcast, Christina walks us through the journey to building her family, from leaving the classroom to getting back in the gym with a baby in tow. Now pregnant with her third, Christina shares why listening to her body was paramount to facing infertility, leading a healthier lifestyle, and maintaining a consistent fitness routine through preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum despite the challenges encountered along the way. Join us for an encouraging episode about finding strength amidst setbacks and prioritizing what makes you the best version of yourself as an individual and as a mother.

Kids are more entwined with tech than ever before, but neglecting handwriting skills can create a major deficit in classroom and lifelong learning. Join us today for a fascinating conversation with curriculum and instruction specialist Holly Britton, M.Ed., as she explains the science of handwriting and why this elementary skill is foundational to future learning outcomes. Through her work and education, Holly created Squiggle Squad, a modern, kid-friendly program designed to foster critical handwriting skills at the developmentally appropriate time to help improve educational outcomes for students in the long term. In this episode, Holly shares her own experiences as a homeschool parent, educator, and author that laid the groundwork for creating Squiggle Squad, as well as ways that families can integrate handwriting skills into daily life. For more information about Holly’s work and the full lineup of Squiggle Squad offerings, visit https://squigglesquad.com or @squigglesquadhandwriting on Instagram.