Work Like a Mother

Today, Bridget chats with Toni-Ann Mayembe, podcaster and dentist.

Toni-Ann Mayembe joins us to discuss the importance of routines for ourselves and our children. Toni-Ann explains how she started her podcast and what her Sunday routines are that get her through the week. Toni-Ann provides practical tips that may help things run a bit more smoothly in your home too. 

Links Referenced in the Episode:

NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from 

Real Happy Mom Podcast and Blog- Listen to Toni-Ann's podcast where she shares a lot more helpful tips about routines!

Today, Bridget chats with Deepti Sharma- Serial Entrepreneur. 

Deepti’s career centers on her passions- food, community and advocacy. She is unafraid to pivot to figure out a new solution to make less than ideal circumstances work- both at home and in her career. And you know what’s most inspiring? Deepti continues to chase her dreams. She always knew that she wanted to have a greater impact in her community so she ran for City Council in New York City last year. I hope we all seek a bit of inspiration from Deepti. Becoming a mom really can open new paths and opportunities for us. 

Links Referenced in the Episode:

NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from 

Foodtoeat- Check out Deepti's amazing start-up, Foodtoeat!
Here's a video that explains how Deepti and Foodtoeat pivoted their mission during COVID.

Today, Bridget chats with Toyosi Babalola- Founder and CEO of Ablué.

Do you have these moments that stop you in your tracks and make you realize that you just can’t do it all? Toyosi did too. She realized, prior to the pandemic that she couldn’t be home with her daughter and work her demanding full-time IT job. Toyosi was raised in Nigeria by a “village” of adults who supported her and helped share the load of raising a child. Even though she was in America, she needed to create a village to help her raise her child. Toyosi started Abulé, a startup that connects parents to support each other and share the load of parenting. This amazing startup will help you find your village too. 

Links Referenced in the Episode:

NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from Toyosi's conversation with Bridget

Abulé is Toyosi's startup working to democratize childcare. Go check it out! 

Today, Bridget chats with Jessi Duley, Founder of BurnCycle Spin Studios. 

Rarely do you get to meet someone who is willing to tell it how it is and truly expose all of their vulnerabilities, successes, faults and passions. Jessi Duley, a fearless entrepreneur and founder of Burncycle, a spin studio in the Pacific Northwest, takes truth telling to a whole other level. If only we all had the courage to be as honest with ourselves and each other as Jessi. 

Links Referenced in the Episode:

NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from Jessi's episode
Shame Raging Video- Have you seen this? If not you have to check it out!
The Dip- The business book that Jessi references
Burn Cycle- Jessi's spin studios in the Pacific NorthWest
Burn Cycle Digital Studio- You can take Jessi's classes online! 

Today, Bridget chats with Jasmine Bradshaw an anti-racist educator, podcaster and mother.

When Jasmine was pregnant with her first child, she dove into anti-racism research and realized that there was a large divide between the world of academia and practical application. Jasmine launched the podcast First Name Basis to provide resources and tips for families. Her resources help parents and children engage in developmentally appropriate conversations about race, religion and differences to help parents raise the next generation to be more anti-racist.

Links Referenced in the Episode:
NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from Jasmine's episode
First Name Basis- Jasmine's Podcast
Anti-Racist Experts- @proftriciarose and Ta-Nehisi Coates
Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by Louise Derman-Sparks- a book that Jasmine references in the episode
Ally Elementary- Jasmine's resources and curriculum. A roadmap for raising the courageous, anti-racist allies our communities need.
A Bit of Optimism- The episode of Simon Sinek's podcast featuring Omar Brownson about gratitude that Bridget refers to
Flecks of Gold Journal- a journal that Jasmine recommends to help you focus on those golden moments of motherhood

Rapid Fire Responses:
Mom Gear- Itzy Ritzy Diaper bag
Who to Follow - @britthawthorne
What's on your Nightstand- Flecks of Gold Journal 

Today, Bridget chats with Eve Rodsky New York Times best-selling author of Fair Play and the newly released, National Bestseller, Find Your Unicorn Space.

Not only is Eve advocating for gender equity for women on a National level, she is also empowering women by giving a voice to the frustration that so many of us feel. Yet Eve doesn’t just name the problem- that women are shouldering the burden of unpaid domestic work. She presents a solution to rebalance partnerships and ease this frustration. You have to listen to this conversation and then go check out Eve’s best sellings books- Fair Play and Find your Unicorn Space.

Links Referenced in the Episode:

NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from Bridget's conversation with Eve.

Fair Play- Eve's best selling book about coming up with a 21st-century solution to an age-old problem: women shouldering the brunt of domestic responsibilities, regardless of whether they work outside the home.
Find Your Unicorn Space is Eve's new book that teaches anyone how to create time in their already-busy life to tap into their unique expression of creativity and find purpose that will allow them to live a happier, more fulfilled life.
Time Out: A Fair Play Podcast Inspired to value your own time and invest in yourself? Check out Eve's new podcast.

Today, Bridget chats with Ashley Mitchell- Wellness Professional and DEI Consultant. 

Ashley’s entire life has revolved around movement and exercise. She was raised by a professional boxer and marathon runner and was very active when she was growing up. Now, she inspires and leads others to move as a fitness instructor. Movement has also helped Ashley process trauma and grief in her own life. This passion led her to found a non-profit to bring movement as a form of processing and healing for kids experiencing trauma or the stresses of daily life. Yet Ashley also struggled with the complicated expectations from the world of physical fitness after the birth of her first son. Ashley has worked to give herself grace and not fall prey to the bounce back culture 6 months postpartum from the birth of her son. 

Links Referenced in the Episode:

NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from Bridget's conversation with Ashley

The Courage Campaign- The non-profit that Ashley founded
Black Girl Magic Mama- Ashley's blog
Ashley Mitchell: Boston Wellness Is White-Washed. Now Is the Time to Be Better- Ashley's article 

Today, Bridget chats with Cait Zogby, Co-Founder and Chief Community Officer of MotherNation.

Cait connected with a friend when they were both postpartum. Though they had very different pregnancy and postpartum experiences, they both felt like they were failing in spite of having access to a tremendous amount of resources. Cait and her friend founded MotherNation to provide support for moms and build the skills to integrate their own needs into the demands of motherhood. She shares incredible advice to help you prioritize your own needs too.

Links Referenced in the Episode:

NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from Cait's episode. 
Mother Nation- Cait's company that creates spaces for Mothers to care for themselves and each other. Get and give support up close through personalized Circles, and from all of MotherNation through our Private Online Community.

Today, Bridget chats with Reshma Saujani, Founder and CEO of Marshall Plan for Moms.

This week, Reshma joins us to discuss her experience as a working mom, society’s assumption that moms are America’s social safety net, and the necessity to fix a broken system that was never intended for working moms. How can we create a society that demands true equity for all women? Reshma encourages moms to stop being martyrs and create “good trouble” to demand wholesale structural change. 

Links Referenced in the Episode:

NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen? Read the blog with highlights from Reshma's episode.
Marshall Plan for Moms- a national movement to center women in our economic recovery and champion public and private sector policies that support all moms.
Marshall Plan for Moms Op Ed- Here's Reshma's Op Ed that inspired the movement. 

Pay Up- Reshma's new book where she confronts the “big lie” of corporate feminism and presents a bold plan to address the burnout and inequity harming America’s working women today.

Reshma's TED talk- Teach Girls Bravery not Perfection 

Today Bridget chats with Hitha Palepu. Mother, CEO of ​Rhoshan Pharmaceuticals, and Author of We’re Speaking.

Hitha self identifies as a multi-hyphenate as an entrepreneur, investor, writer, and speaker. Though Hitha is incredibly accomplished professionally, her Work Like a Mother interview convinced me that she is human and not a superhero with a cape. Hitha details her morning routine with her family, explained how she curates her #5smartreads list, and shared her tips for getting out of weeknight meal prep for her kids. Hitha unapologetically shares her struggles as a working mom during a pandemic. She uses her privilege to give others permission to speak out and advocate for themselves and their families too. 

Links Referenced in the Episode:
NeighborSchools Blog- Don't have time to listen to the full episode? Check out the highlights of Bridget's conversation with Hitha on the blog.
#5SmartReads- a weekly digest of the news you should know, books you should read and things that will make your life better that Hitha publishes each week
We're Speaking: The Life Lessons of Kamala Harris- the book that Hitha published this fall
Forest App- The App that Hitha recommends for productivity