Working Moms Redefined

We all want our kids to succeed. But somewhere between encouraging them, giving them opportunities, helping them through disappointment, and wanting the best for their future, is it possible our good intentions can start to feel like pressure? 

In this episode of Working Moms Redefined, Denise sits down with Margot Machol Bisnow, author of Raising an Entrepreneur, for a conversation that is about so much more than raising future entrepreneurs. It's about raising kids who know who they are, trust themselves, and have the confidence to pursue what genuinely lights them up. 

Together, Denise and Margot talk about: 

For the mom who wants to give her kids every opportunity, this conversation offers an important question to consider: Are we creating the path we think our children should take, or are we giving them the confidence to discover their own? Our job isn't to determine exactly who our kids will become. It's to create an environment where they feel safe enough, supported enough, and confident enough to figure that out for themselves. 

Join us! 
 
Connect with Margot 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
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Some kids have it incredibly hard. Others grow up with opportunities, stability, and support. Some children show remarkable kindness and gratitude despite difficult circumstances, while others struggle with respect and accountability. 

And sometimes, watching the struggles people are facing leaves us wondering what we can actually do to make a difference. 

In this solo episode of Working Moms Redefined, Denise shares what's been weighing on her heart lately: the different realities children grow up in, the challenges families are facing, and the responsibility we have as parents to shape how our kids see and respond to the world around them. 

At the center of this conversation is one powerful reminder: How we view things is how we do things. 

Denise explores: 

This isn't an episode with all the answers. It's an honest reflection on parenting, perspective, and the kind of people we're raising, while also recognizing the kind of people we're becoming. 

Because we can't promise our children an easy life. We can't protect them from every disappointment. And we certainly can't fix every hard thing happening in the world. 

But we can teach them how to respond. 

And maybe one of the most important parenting questions we can ask ourselves isn't what we're telling our kids about life. 

It's what are we showing them? 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:   

Working moms are really good at handling things. The career. The kids. The marriage. The schedules. The expectations. The mental load. We can keep going for a really long time, but being capable of carrying it all doesn't necessarily mean it's good for us. 

In this episode, Denise talks with performance coach and Don't Fkn Shrink podcast host Daffney Allwein for a conversation about what happens when high-performing women stop simply pushing through and start paying attention to what their minds and bodies are actually telling them. 

Together, they talk about: 

And we get into the heart of Daffney's message: don't shrink. Don't make yourself smaller to make everyone else comfortable. Don't assume being strong means pushing harder. And don't let the many roles you play become the reason you lose sight of the woman underneath all of them. 

This conversation is for the woman who knows she's capable of a lot, but is beginning to ask a better question: How do I build a life where I don't have to run myself into the ground to feel successful? 

 
Connect with Daffney 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:   

Politics can feel complicated enough as adults. Then your child comes home repeating something they heard at school, sees something online, or asks a question about an election and suddenly you're trying to figure out: How much do I explain? How much is too much? And how do I teach my kids what I believe without teaching them that everyone who believes differently is wrong? 

In this episode, Denise sits down with political scientist and fellow parent Dr. AJ Simmons, Research Director at the University of Illinois Springfield's Center for State Policy and Leadership and host of Crashing the Political Party, for a conversation about parenting in a politically divided world. 

And this isn't a conversation about telling you what to believe politically. It's about how we raise kids who are curious, thoughtful, informed, and capable of forming their own opinions. 

Together, Denise and AJ talk about: 

AJ also brings the perspective of a dad raising four curious kids of his own, which makes this conversation about much more than political science. It's about what happens when politics enters our homes, our relationships, and the questions our kids are asking. We don't have to give our children every answer. Maybe one of the most important things we can give them is the ability to ask good questions, listen to people they disagree with, think critically, and eventually decide what they believe for themselves. 

Link to Election Cake Recipe: https://hylandhouse.org/at-home-activities/bake-a-historical-election-cake/ 
Connect with AJ 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:   

Between activities, academics, technology, milestones, and all the things we’re told our kids should be doing, it can feel like raising healthy, confident kids has become incredibly complicated. But what if some of the things our kids need most are actually much simpler? 

In this episode, Denise talks  with Amy Peters, CEO of Quincy Children’s Museum, to talk about the power of play, connection, socialization, and everyday interaction in helping our kids grow. 

Together, they talk about: 

This conversation is a reminder for working moms that helping our kids thrive doesn't have to mean adding more to the calendar or creating Pinterest-worthy childhoods. Sometimes what they need most is room to play, opportunities to figure things out, people who engage with them, and parents who are present for the ordinary moments. Because play isn't “just play.” Our kids are learning how to navigate the world through it. 
Connect with Amy 

Follow the Quincy Children’s Museum 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:   

Can motherhood actually make you a better leader? 

For years, many women have been told they have to separate their personal and professional lives to succeed. But what if the very skills you're developing as a mom, emotional intelligence, resilience, adaptability, and decision-making are exactly what make you an exceptional leader? 

In this episode, Denise sits down with Beth Goff-McMillan, CEO of SKG and mom of two, for an honest conversation about leadership, motherhood, and redefining success. Beth shares how raising a family strengthened her ability to lead, navigate uncertainty, and build an authentic leadership style in a traditionally male-dominated industry. 

Together, they discuss: 

Whether you're leading a company, a classroom, a team, or your family, this episode is a reminder that leadership isn't about having all the answers—it's about showing up with courage, authenticity, and a willingness to keep growing. 

Because some of the most valuable leadership lessons aren't learned in the boardroom... 
they're learned around the dinner table. 

Connect with Beth Goff-McMillan 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:   

You love your kids deeply. You’re responsible, capable, and doing everything you can to hold life together. So why does motherhood still feel so heavy sometimes? 

In this episode, I sit down with Amber Pecoraro, certified life and leadership coach, founder of B’joyed Coaching, and author of Escape the Motherhood Matrix, to talk about the invisible web of guilt, overwhelm, pressure, and “never-enoughness” that so many modern moms are quietly carrying.  

Amber shares her own journey as a high-achieving woman balancing leadership, motherhood, and success on the outside while feeling exhausted and disconnected on the inside. Together, we unpack what she calls the “Motherhood Matrix”, and why so many women don’t even realize they’re trapped in it. 

In this conversation, we explore: 

This episode is for the mom who feels like she’s constantly giving, constantly doing, and still wondering why she feels so far from herself. Because maybe the answer isn’t becoming more. Maybe it’s finally allowing yourself to come back to who you already are. 

 
**MAKE SURE TO USE HER BJOYED.COACHING Instagram handle and not her podcast account. Thanks! 

 
Connect with Amber 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:   

We’ve missed you! Working Moms Redefined is back for Season 2.5, and before we jump into everything ahead, Denise is taking a minute to look back. Because this summer was full. 

There were lake trips and Mexico, softball and baseball, Thursdays when Sydney babysat, more iPad time than maybe originally planned, and apparently, a decision that the Tallcotts need goats. But somewhere in the middle of all of it, Denise did something that hasn’t always come naturally: she slowed down. 

In this solo episode, Denise shares an honest look at their summer: what worked, what absolutely did not, the moments she wants to remember, and the things she wants to do differently moving forward. 

She talks about: 

And Denise has a challenge for you: pull out your calendar and actually look back. Look at where you went. What you did. What made you laugh. What exhausted you. What worked for your family. What didn't. What you survived. What you loved. And maybe even what you want to leave behind. 

As working moms, we're really good at looking ahead to the next practice, meeting, school event, deadline, or season. But sometimes we need to stop long enough to recognize the life we've already been living. Season 2.5 starts there: not with doing more, but with noticing more. 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:   

In this special summer sendoff episode of Working Moms Redefined, Denise reflects on the past year and a half of the podcast while sharing an important decision for her family and for herself as a working mom: pressing pause for the summer season. 

This episode is an honest conversation about motherhood, family priorities, overcommitted schedules and the pressure many parents feel to create the “perfect” summer for their children. Denise opens up about choosing intentional family time over packed calendars, sports camps and nonstop activities in order to create more meaningful moments at home with her children. 

She shares the heart behind stepping away from the podcast temporarily, the importance of recognizing when your family needs more of you and why sometimes the healthiest decision is simply slowing down. Denise also encourages listeners to rethink summer expectations and focus less on overplanning and more on connection, simplicity and presence. 

In this episode, we talk about: 

☀️ Why Working Moms Redefined is taking a summer pause 
🏡 Choosing family connection over constant busyness 
💭 The pressure parents feel to create a “perfect” summer 
🚫 Learning to say no to activities, camps and overcommitted schedules 
🩵 Why children often value simple memories most 
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Creating intentional family time during the summer months 
🌿 The importance of slowing down as a working mom 
📝 Building a summer bucket list with your children 
✨ Letting go of unrealistic parenting expectations 
🌸 Finding joy in everyday moments with your family 

This episode is a refreshing reminder that childhood memories are often built in the small moments: bike rides, root beer floats, pool days and simply being together. Denise encourages working moms to give themselves permission to pause, simplify and embrace a summer that feels good for their family instead of one that looks impressive to everyone else. 

As the podcast takes a short summer break, Denise also gives listeners a preview of exciting guests and conversations coming this fall, including topics surrounding motherhood, leadership, personal growth and family life. 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website:   

This episode of Working Moms Redefined gives listeners an honest and emotional look into what it’s really like to be a teenage girl today. Denise sits down with a group of high school juniors and seniors for a powerful conversation about teen mental health, anxiety, social pressure, school stress, friendships, sports, family expectations and the fear of failure.  

These young women openly share the pressures they face balancing grades, jobs, athletics, relationships, college decisions and social expectations while still trying to figure out who they are. They discuss how anxiety in teenagers is often misunderstood, why many girls struggle to express emotions and what they wish parents truly understood about growing up in today’s world.  

In this episode, we talk about: 

Teen anxiety and mental health struggles 
The pressure teenage girls face in high school today 
Balancing school, sports, jobs, friendships and future plans 
Fear of failure, judgment, loneliness and disappointing others 
Why teenagers often feel unheard by adults 
The importance of communication between parents and teens 
How parents can better support teenage daughters emotionally 
Why listening matters more than immediately trying to “fix” problems 
Self-worth, people-pleasing and emotional overwhelm in teens 
Growing up, identity and navigating the future as a young woman 

This conversation is raw, insightful, relatable and incredibly important for parents, educators, mentors and anyone raising or supporting teenage girls. It’s a reminder that behind every “attitude” or shutdown moment is often a young person carrying more emotional weight than we realize.  

If you’ve ever wondered what teenagers are really thinking and feeling, this episode offers a rare and powerful perspective directly from the voices of young women themselves. 

Connect with Denise of Working Moms Redefined:   

Catch full episodes and subscribe to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingMomsRedefined   

Click here for the 9 Minutes a Day for a Lifetime of Connection Masterclass!   
  Listen to The Working Moms Redefined Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. New episodes drop every Thursday!   
 
Follow Denise on Socials & visit the Working Moms Redefined website: