This Mom Knows

Julie Dixon is a wife and mom who nurtures space for her family to live out their priorities in an entrepreneurial way. Listen as she shares the foundational things she makes sure are in place as she holds space for her families creativity.

Meet our Guest Julie:

Julie Dixon, is wife to Brian and mom to three talented kids. She's also a champion of women trying to build an influential home with a strong foundation on biblical truth. As a former classroom teacher, married to an educator turned entrepreneur, teaching and training are at the core of everything that they do. She is Margin Maker and Chief Encouragement Officer for her family, which are titles that I think every mom should embrace. 

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• Growing up as a missionary child in Italy
• Julie and her husband's transition from regular jobs to entrepreneurship
• The challenges and shifts they faced in their entrepreneurship journey
• Balancing work and family life as entrepreneurs
• Importance of validation and filtering ideas
• Nurturing creativity in children
• Encouraging entrepreneurial skills in kids
• Transforming a hobby into a profitable business
• Learning from success and making wise financial decisions
• Authenticity and genuine engagement on social media
• Building strong family connections and individual relationships
• Parenting challenges and finding personal fulfillment
• Julie's favorite time saving tool

Resources mentioned:

Find out more about or join Ryland membership site Bible Builds or her husband Brian's marketing membership site Business Builder Academy.

Julies's favorite gadget is her uncrustable maker! 

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-32 

Connect with Julie:
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/JulieBDixon

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

We are going to talk about mom guilt and how we can leverage it when it comes to balancing home and business, or maybe more accurately, integrating home and business.

You’ve heard me say that every business “yes” can feel like a parenting “no” – and that’s when mom guilt kicks in. 

Mom guilt!  We know it when we feel it, but what exactly is it? 

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• Understanding mom guilt and its impact on balancing home and business
• Leveraging mom guilt to integrate home and business effectively
• Viewing mom guilt as a warning flag, thermometer, and motivator
• Shifting mindset to use mom guilt as a tool for personal growth
• Identifying patterns and making simple changes to address mom guilt triggers
• Using mom guilt to prioritize and be present in important mom moments
• Seeing mom guilt as an indicator of unhealthy approaches and making necessary adjustments
• Using mom guilt as motivation to improve and focus on positive aspects
• The negative effects of allowing mom guilt to consume and disempower
• Implementing micro-routines to enhance productivity and reduce interruptions
• Understanding the benefits of documenting micro-routines with checklists
• Consistency and adaptability through micro-routines
• Creating structure in daily schedules to allow for creativity, connection, and service
• Introducing a coaching program to provide personalized support for mompreneurs

Resources mentioned:

Join the Coaching Waitlist (opt-in)

And get notified when our next coaching program opens 

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-31

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

Jenni Chase is a mompreneur who has a knack for pursuing creativity and turning it into a business. But more than that, she knows her value -- as a wife, as a mom, and as a creative. Join us as we talk about knowing your value when it comes to saying yes - and no - as a mompreneur. 

Meet our Guest Jenni:

Jenni Chase is a wife, Mom and lover of Jesus. She and her family chased their dreams and moved to Florida where they have been able to flex their creative muscles and try new things. Jenny is a musician, photographer, artist, and designer. 

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• Cultivating creativity and pursuing business in a simple and elegant way
• Seeking help from business coaching for clarity and defining business goals
• The importance of being present and finding a balance between family, work, and pursuing creative passions
• Taking risks in entrepreneurship and how to handle them
• Consulting others and seeking objective opinions when making business decisions
• The importance of understanding numbers and making data-driven decisions
• How Jenni transitioned her hobby into a business
• The freedom to give back and be generous 
• Learning new things and exploring different artistic avenues
• Favorite time-saving gadget

Resources mentioned:

Help your kids understand their value, check out The Hovercraft Project 

Jennie's favorite gadgets are her electric tea kettle and her Instant Pot.

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-30

Connect with Jenni:

Over her Art

Website: http://www.jennichaseart.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennichaseart/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/Jennichaseart

Over her Photography:

Website: http://www.jennichasephotography.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniChasePhotography/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/Jcphotography_jennichase
Email:  [email protected] 

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

This episode marks 6-months of the This Mom Knows podcast!  That’s an exciting milestone, especially in the world of podcasting.

2 weeks ago I was at the Podcast Movement conference in Nashville, TN and some of the statistics they shared were staggering.  Specifically, of the 2 million podcasts listed in the directories, only about 330,000 are active, meaning that they are still dropping new episodes regularly.  This is definitely an active podcast!

The other statistic that was sobering showed that most podcasts don’t make it past 10 episodes.  Well, today’s episode is number 29!  Add in the bonus episodes and we have more than tripled that number.

This has been a fun process. 

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• Reaching the 6-month milestone in podcasting
• Exploring the statistics shared at the Podcast Movement conference
• The challenges faced by most podcasts
• The learning process of starting a podcast and coaching new podcasters
• The importance of clarity of purpose in podcasting 
• The initial motivation behind starting "This Mom Knows"
• Joining the Christian Podcasters Association 
• The struggle to define the target audience and the importance of identifying the ideal listeners
• The X, Y, Z statement and its role in providing clarity and direction for the podcast
• Applying clarity of purpose in podcasting to determine suitable topics and guests
• Personal experiences and lessons learned in balancing family relationships and home tasks
• Rebranding the podcast to "This Mom Knows" and the need for clarity and purpose
• Defining a mompreneur and exploring the challenges they face in balancing business and parenting
• The impact of business decisions on parenting and the resulting mom guilt
• The benefits of clarity of purpose in reducing mom guilt and optimizing time management

Resources mentioned:

Christian Podcasters Association: they have a Facebook Group and a Membership (I'm in this and it is worth every penny)

You can find Mary R Snyder on: podcast, her Facebook group, Instagram, or her website.   

This is where you can learn more about: Marketing Mentorship with Brian Dixon (or follow him on Instagram)

You can find Michele Holmes at: her website, on Instagram, or learn more about her coaching and courses here.  You can listen to my interview with her on Episode 2.

If you want to learn more about our surprise adoption, you can hear it on Episode 6.

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-29

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

Bonnie Shay is a professional organizer who built her business helping people keep their memories in order.  

Meet our Guest Bonnie:

Bonnie Shay is a certified photo organizer and has been curating large printed photo collections for 14 years. A typical client is someone who is overwhelmed with all their printed photos and just doesn't know what to do or where to start. So Bonnie helps to make those photos accessible, manageable, enjoyable, shareable and safe and secure now and for generations to come. Bonnie loves helping her clients and they often tell her that she works magic as they are truly amazed at what she does for them and for their photos.

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• Typical clients and the challenges they face
• The importance of photo organization and preserving memories
• Storage options for printed photos: albums vs. archival boxes
• Keeping track of important data and information on the back of photos
• Dealing with negatives and their relevance in the digital age
• Starting the photo organization process for inherited photo collections
• Organizing photos in chronological order
• Editing and selecting the best photos from a large collection
• Scanning photos and the options of doing it yourself or outsourcing
• The benefits of working with a photo organizer
• Finding a photo organizer near you through The Photo Managers association
• Taking the first step in organizing a photo collection
• The importance of starting small and being realistic with expectations
• Favorite gadget

Resources mentioned:

To hire a professional photo organizer, check out The Photo Managers

Bonnie's offer for you is a great one!  When you sign up for her email newsletter (which is packed with value every month, you will get her bonus “Top 12 Ways to Curate Your Printed and Digital Photo Collection”

To learn more, schedule your 15 minute FREE CONSULTATION 

Bonnie's favorite gadget these days has been to use Zoom to bridge the span of miles and build memories with her sister.  I'm linking to FB portal because it will do the same thing with video, but (bonus!) when you're not using it to talk to someone it becomes a digital photo frame. 

To hire a professional photo organizer, check out The Photo Managers  https://thephotomanagers.com/

Bonnie’s favorite gadget: These days has been to use Zoom to bridge the span of miles and build memories with her sister.  I'm linking to FB portal because it will do the same thing with video, but (bonus!) when you're not using it to talk to someone it becomes a digital photo frame. 

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-28

Connect with Bonnie:

Website: http://www.mariposaphotoorganizing.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariposaPhotoOrganizing/ 
Email:  [email protected]

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

Carola Moon is a mompreneur who knows all about personal brand photos. She shares why you need them and how to use them, as well as how she integrates being mom and entrepreneur.

Meet our Guest Carola:

Originally from Germany, Carola Moon is a mompreneur based out of England and mum to two kids. Carola left the corporate world to pursue a dream and is now a certified business coach and a branding photographer. Pictures are powerful, so I'm excited for today's conversation and talking more about how we as mompreneurs can leverage pictures in marketing our businesses.

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• Carola Moon's journey from Germany to England as a mompreneur
• How Carola got started with photography and her transition to personal branding photography
• The importance of personal branding and leveraging pictures in marketing businesses
• Challenges faced by mompreneurs in balancing business, family, and personal life
• The rewards and fulfillment of being a mompreneur and building a business
• Steps to create a personal brand and the importance of aligning it with values and vision
• Differentiating personalized stock photos from authentic personal branding photos
• Tips for becoming comfortable in front of the camera for personal brand photoshoots
• The importance of continuity and consistency in personal branding photos
• How to find the right personal brand photographer and what to consider in a package
• Key elements to plan and consider for a successful personal branding photoshoot
• Three essential pictures for a mompreneur's personal branding: the hero shot, about page photo, and services page photo
• Carola Moon's eco-friendly gadget recommendation

Resources mentioned:

Carola's amazing opt-in can be found here: 7 Must-Have Brand Images

Schedule a Free Consult with Carola  

Carola's favorite gadget/thing is her https://amzn.to/3lodIhv

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-27

Connect with Carola:

Website: https://www.thecarolamoon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecarolamoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarolamoon
Email:  [email protected]

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

Meg Calton is a mom photographer who loves to teach other moms how to use their cameras to take photos of their kids.

Meet our Guest Meg:

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

Resources mentioned:

When we recorded we didn't know which team won the NBA Championship.  Meg was pulling for the Suns, but the Milwaukee Bucks were the champions.

Ira Glass quote on taste:

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”

Learn more about printing your photos into Chatbooks

Order your own set of Cheat Sheets (and don't forget to use discount code THISMOM)

Sign-up for your own copy of 3 Simple Things for taking better pictures of your kids

Meg's favorite gadgets are her long iPhone charging cords and her loopy case (try discount code: foundya10)

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-26

Connect with Meg:

Website: http://www.snaphappymom.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SnapHappyMeg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snaphappymeg
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7DKk9PNUNSBGnFjoM7T8FA

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

Jenn Uren shares the experience she and her family had raising pigs and chickens and what that taught her about being a mompreneur

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• Homesteading, hobby farming, and raising animals
• The benefits of raising pigs and chickens, such as understanding where food comes from and teaching responsibility to kids
• The importance of understanding processes and how it applies to being a mompreneur
• Knowing when to delegate tasks and when to do things yourself in business
• Trade-offs between time and money, and making decisions based on priorities
• The significance of routines in both farming and mompreneurship
• The power of transitions and how they impact productivity and family life
• The concept of pivoting in business and not feeling obligated to continue certain activities
• Involving the whole family in mompreneurship and the benefits of doing so
• The connection between farming experiences and lessons applicable to being a mompreneur

Resources mentioned: 

Episode 23: Raising Chickens (Homesteading)
Episode 24: Hobby Farming
Episode 22: Making Life Easier with Routines

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-25 

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

Kerri Ward is a homeschool mom who shares how she and her family have integrated hobby farming, and how you can, too!

Meet our Guest Kerri:

Kerri Ward is a teacher by trade. But she has been home for the last 10 years raising her four kids and homeschooling. Her family's interest in farming was piqued after spending time with extended family who farmed themselves. And then they got involved with 4-H. So then they decided let's just start our own farm.

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• How Kerri and her family got interested in farming 
• Starting their own hobby farm in 2016 and the journey leading up to it
• The difference between hobby farming and homesteading
• How they manage their farm
• The different animals they have on their farm, including chickens, goats, turkeys, pigs, ducks, bees, and potential plans to add sheep
• How the farm enhances their children's education and homeschooling
• Involvement with 4-H and its diverse offerings beyond agriculture-related activities
• How they handle farm chores and travel
• How they invite people to their farm for educational purposes, school events, and occasionally for birthday parties
• Advice for moms interested in starting a hobby farm
• Kerri's favorite gadgets

Resources mentioned: 

Help your kids learn lifelong skills and take responsibility through 4-H

Kerri favorite gadget is her meat masher and her "T" square!  

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-24

Connect with Kerri:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jameksfarm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameksfarm/

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.

Maria Graber talks about homesteading and specifically raising chickens. She even shares her favorite chicken gadget!

Meet our Guest Maria:

Maria Graber grew up on a small farm with goats, rabbits, chickens, cats, and dogs. But her love was horses. She lives on a 11.7-acre farm called CG Heartbeats Farm in northern Indiana with her husband and her well-loved animals. In 2016, Maria purchased her first Swedish flower hen chicks, and her homesteading journey began. And by August 2017, she launched her website where she started to share lessons and heartaches of homesteading while dealing with chronic illness. 

Connect with me and let me hear your thoughts:

Website - www.thismomknows.com
FB - www.facebook.com/thismomknows
IG - www.instagram.com/thismomknowspodcast

Topics we cover:

• Maria Graber's journey into homesteading
• Her experiences with horses, including barrel racing and working in a breeding and foaling barn
• The challenges and differences between caring for horses and chickens
• Maria's current farm setup and the other animals she has besides chickens
• Maria's definition and concept of homesteading
• What's the process of raising chickens for meat and eggs
• The value of raising one's own food and the challenges of feed costs
• The concept of "chicken math"
• Her fascination with genetics and breeding programs in chickens
• The challenges of dealing with predators and keeping chickens safe.
• What are things to consider before starting with backyard chickens
• The importance of choosing the right chicken waterer for convenience.
• The challenges of keeping chickens in winter and preventing water from freezing.
•  Favorite chicken tool

Resources mentioned: 

Maria's favorite gadget is her chicken waterer! 

Here's a link to her blog post about it: Watering Chickens

Link to transcript: https://www.thismomknows.com/blog/episode-23

Connect with Maria:

Website: http://www.dontclipmywings.com/ (and while you're there, be sure to get your Hatching Checklist.)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CountryGirlheartbeatsfarm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CountryGirlheartbeatsfarm 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-graber-244766102/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vCR-u2f0ucynCHJWylqVw
Twitter: @CGheartbeatsfarm

About This Mom Knows

Moms know a lot of things, and when we start talking, ideas form, energy builds, and we take action. This Mom Knows is a place for moms to mompreneurs to find encouragement, connection, and maybe even collaboration but most importantly community with moms who know.  So, grab a cup of coffee, maybe a paper and pencil to jot down an idea or two, and let's discover what This Mom Knows.