The Mami Collective

This week on The Mami Collective Podcast, I sat down with Courtney Claghorn, founder and CEO of Sugared + Bronzed, the beauty brand that started with a $1,000 investment and has grown into nearly 50 locations nationwide. 

We talked about:

• Building a business from her apartment with her boyfriend (now husband)
• Growing a national brand without outside funding for nearly a decade
• What entrepreneurship really looks like behind the scenes
• The challenges of returning to work after becoming a mom
• Why delegation is one of the hardest skills for founders to learn
• Navigating mom guilt, support systems, and asking for help
• The mindset shifts that helped her scale both her business and her life

Plus, Courtney shared one of the most refreshing perspectives I've ever heard on balancing motherhood and ambition—and why your business can be treated like another child you care for and nurture.

If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to build something big without sacrificing yourself in the process, this episode is for you.

Follow Courtney here: https://www.instagram.com/courtneyclaghorn/

This week on The Mami Collective Podcast, Paulina sits down with Airbnb owner and coach Sara Robinson for an honest conversation about career pivots, motherhood, entrepreneurship, and building a life that actually feels aligned.

Sara shares how she went from working at iHeartRadio and feeling completely burnt out in radio to helping build a thriving Airbnb business with her husband- now managing 26+ properties while raising two little girls and an older son.

They talk about:

• How Sara got started with Airbnb investing
• What moms should know before starting a business
• Building a business with your partner
• Outsourcing, scaling, and protecting your time as a mom
• Why career pivots are sometimes necessary
• What entrepreneurship really looks like behind the scenes

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s “too late” to start over, pivot careers, or build something bigger for yourself and your family-this episode is for you. 

Follow Sara here: https://www.instagram.com/sararadrobinson/

Birthday girl energy was absolutely in the building for this one. This week on The Mami Collective, your host Paulina sits down with her name twin — the iconic, magenta-haired Paulina Bachleda-Kubanska — and honestly, the universe knew what it was doing when it brought these two together.

Paulina B. came to the United States from Poland at 16 with zero English and zero roadmap — and turned that into a full-on empire. We're talking a tax preparation company, a real estate license, a mortgage loan officer license, and a cleaning business she literally purchased twice. Oh, and she does it all as a mama to her three-year-old daughter.

In this episode, we get into:

• Why saying YES to everything almost broke her — and the 7 years it took to learn that lesson
• How she built unshakeable client trust by not being motivated by money
• The one-stop-shop business model and why expanding your services is a power move
• Outsourcing, systems, and building a team so you don't lose your mind (or your marriage)
• Raising an only child who doesn't throw tantrums in the toy aisle — and yes, she's taking students
• Her dad's advice that changed everything: "What if it does work out?"

This episode is for every woman who's been told to play it safe, every immigrant woman who figured it out anyway, and every entrepreneur wondering if they can really do it all. Spoiler: you can't do it alone — but you can do it.

No balance. No BS. Just real talk.

🔗 Follow Paulina B:

• Taxes: Maram Company (Lyons/Berwyn area)
• Cleaning: Deluxe Maids of Illinois

In this episode, Paulina sits down with Kate Danielson, founder of Foster Progress and mom of four teenagers (two biological, one adopted, and one in legal guardianship) to break down what fostering really looks like from the inside.

From the misconceptions Hollywood sells us, to navigating blended family dynamics, to what it truly takes to open your home and your heart, Kate holds nothing back. Whether you're curious about fostering, already in the process, or just want to understand it better, this episode is a must-listen.

Follow Follow Progress here: https://www.instagram.com/fosterprogress/

You had a plan. A timeline. A vision.
And then…life said absolutely not girl.

In this episode, Paulina breaks down how to actually pivot when things don’t go according to plan, without spiraling, forcing it, or starting over from scratch.

This is your no-BS guide to:

• letting go of what didn’t work
• separating your vision from the path you thought it had to take
• making your next move (even when you don’t feel ready)
• and building something that actually aligns with where you are now

Plus, why getting in the right rooms — like The Mami Collective Dinner Series — might be the thing that changes everything.

Because here’s the truth:
The plan falling apart? That might be the pivot you needed.

What if the thing you’re already doing is the thing you’re supposed to build?

This week on The Mami Collective Podcast, Paulina sits down with Karen Vega, the mom behind Chicago Moms—a go-to platform for family-friendly things to do in Chicago and the suburbs. What started as simply sharing outings with her kids turned into a trusted resource thousands of moms now rely on.

In this episode, Karen opens up about:

• How she accidentally became a content creator (and why you don’t need a perfect plan to start)
• The reality of balancing motherhood, a full-time job, and building a platform
• What it actually takes to grow on TikTok and Instagram (hint: it’s not overnight)
• Learning to say no, set boundaries, and protect your time as a mom
• The pressure (and noise) of the creator world—and how to stay in your own lane
• Why documenting her kids’ lives became her biggest motivation

This is a conversation about motherhood, identity, creativity, and building something of your own, without losing yourself in the process. Whether you’re a mom looking for things to do in Chicago, thinking about starting your own platform, or just trying to feel a little less alone in the chaos, then this one’s for you.

Because sometimes, you don’t need a new idea.
You just need to start sharing the life you’re already living.

Follow Karen here: https://www.instagram.com/chicago__moms/?hl=en

This week on The Mami Collective, we’re getting real about motherhood, identity, and the pressure to be everything to everyone.

I’m joined by author, creator, and mental health advocate Jyothi Chand (aka Mama Jotes), and we dive into what it actually looks like to navigate motherhood without losing yourself in the process. From growing up in an immigrant household where mental health wasn’t even a conversation, to building a life, career, and identity on her own terms—this episode is layered.

We talk about:

• Breaking generational silence around mental health
• The identity crisis no one prepares you for after becoming a mom
• Building your own “village” (because it won’t just show up)
• Sobriety, clarity, and choosing yourself
• Ambition, burnout, and why we still keep going
• Setting boundaries—with your kids, your audience, and yourself

If you’ve ever felt like you’re losing yourself in motherhood—or trying to find your way back—this one’s for you.

In this episode of The Mami Collective, Paulina Roe sits down with Francesca (aka Francesca’s Nest) to talk about what motherhood really looks like behind the scenes.

From working as a full-time pharmacist to becoming a content creator, Francesca opens up about the scary leap of leaving corporate, navigating postpartum anxiety, and redefining her identity as a mom.

We dive into:

• What working mom burnout actually feels like
• Postpartum anxiety and when to ask for help
• The pressure moms face (and why you can never “win”)
• Building a wellness routine that actually sticks
• Balancing motherhood, career, and mental health
• The truth about becoming a full-time content creator

This conversation is raw, honest, and a reminder that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish-it’s necessary.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, lost your identity in motherhood, or questioned your next step...then this one is for you!

In this episode, Paulina sits down with Diana Arango, founder and CEO of Chef Post, to talk about one of the biggest hidden stressors in motherhood: figuring out what everyone is eating every single day.

From the mental load of weeknight dinners to the pressure of feeding your family well while juggling work, kids, marriage, and everything else, this conversation gets real about why mealtime can feel like the final straw for busy moms. Diana shares how her own overwhelm led her to build Chef Post, a platform that helps families book in-home chefs and meal prep support, and why delegating food may be one of the smartest ways to buy back time, peace, and presence.

Paulina and Diana also get into mom guilt, the true ROI of outsourcing help, what it means to be “mom first” while building a business, and why delegation is not laziness, it’s survival. If dinner has been the breaking point in your house lately, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to reduce the mental load of mealtime
• Why dinner becomes the tipping point for overwhelmed moms
• How delegating meals can save time, stress, and money
• The difference between meal delivery and in-home chef support
• What “mom first” really looks like while running a business
• Why relationships matter when growing a brand

Follow Diana and ChefPost here:

https://www.instagram.com/dianarango/

https://www.instagram.com/chefpost/

This week, Paulina sits down with content creator and DIsney mom Maria Velasco to talk all things Disney, motherhood, and the community she’s built along the way.

Maria shares her favorite Disney tips, go-to moments, and the little things that make the experience feel more magical for moms and families—while also giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the community she created, Main Street Moms, and how it’s grown into a space that brings women together through shared joy, connection, and real-life mom experiences.

Be sure to follow Maria on Instagram and TikTok!