The Work-Life Leadership Podcast

Ever wonder what's it really like running for office? We get it! And we couldn't be more excited to have first-time candidate Emily Mayer on the podcast this week to give us all the details! Recording this episode less than 2 weeks before her February 13th special election, Emily is able to share the highs, lows, logistics, tactics, frustrations, fears, and alllllllll the feelings that come with being smack dab in the thick of a campaign. Emily is a full time mom, full time employee, and full time candidate with a truly admirable take on how to run a campaign with strength and confidence. Listen and share this energizing conversation with someone you think would make a great candidate for office! And if you're in Bluffton, SC - get out and VOTE on February 13th!    More about Emily: Emily Mayer is a South Carolina mom who lives in Bluffton with her husband and two young daughters. She previously went to college and graduate school in New Jersey before starting her career as a special education teacher. Emily currently works as the senior manager at The Ford and Ford Group, where she focuses much of her time on teaching others how to advocate for their communities. Emily is a problem solver who believes that government should be transparent and accessible to each and every person.  Emily is running for Bluffton Town Council in a special election on February 13, 2024. You can learn more about Emily at www.emilymayersc.com or follow her on instagram at @emilymayersc.

This week, we welcome Kate Duffy to The League! Together, we kick off The League's BATTLEGROUND series, covering the headline-making swing states that are sure to impact our elections in 2024.    Kate is a Wisconsin mom and political activist who was recently profiled in an incredible story by the19th news which begged the question, "Is 2024 the year of the instagram moms?" Spoiler: her answer is a resounding, YES! In this episode, Kate tells us why, shares her story and explains the power of relational organizing - on Instagram and in our communities.    In 2022, Kate founded Motherhood for Good, a community of moms (and those who support them!) who believe parenting includes politics and the more informed and engaged we our with our democratic society, the better advocates we can be for our children. Kate and her loyal followers advocate for legislation and support candidates that prioritize: reproductive rights, voting rights & upholding democracy, common sense gun laws, accessible healthcare for all, paid family leave, strong public schools, action on climate change, and fair and equal opportunities for everyone.   Follow Kate @motherhoodforgood on Instagram and check out her profile by 19th news at the link: https://19thnews.org/2023/11/the-year-of-the-instagram-moms-2024/ 

Four South Carolina moms, advocates, and friends come together on this episode of The League to review a wild first week of the 2024 legislative session.  The South Carolina legislature currently holds a Republican supermajority trifecta in the House, Senate and Governor's office, making the state very vulnerable to the right-wing extremism sweeping the nation. Currently under attack in South Carolina: Women's reproductive healthcare & freedom Firearm safety & gun violence prevention Public education LGBTQ+ inclusion & freedoms Etc. The bills discussed in this episode include: SC Senate Bill S.109 - Permitless Carry - Find your senator's email here SC House Bill H.4624 - Ban on Gender Affirming Care for Minors - Find your House rep's email here SC Board of Education Proposed Regulation - "Uniform Procedure for Selection or Reconsideration of Instructional Materials." (Centralization of all Public School Book Selection and Challenges to the State - Email your feedback on this proposed regulation to sclreg@ed.sc.gov by January 22, 2024 Follow @the-league.sc on instagram to stay up to date on this legislative session and the issues that affect South Carolina women and children. 

This week, we are so excited to welcome THE Katie Grossbard to The League Podcast. Katie is an attorney, digital creator, White House collaborator, an all-around Jill-of-all-trades, and a true insta-favorite of mine and the moms for change community. @KatieGrossbard serves a community of nearly 125,000 instagram followers who come for the latest in political news and stay for a much-needed dose of levity and laughter (seriously though, you need her in your feed)!

Our New Year's Resolution: Liza Minnella Energy

The League is going places in 2024 and we'd love to take you with us!

We have a new look -- and a new name -- again! The Ambition Liberated Podcast is now The League - a political home for women who are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Hear how this came to be and    More about Brittney: Brittney Mast is a lifelong Oregonian, who lives in the Portland suburbs with her husband, 2 kids, and one spoiled doggy. She worked in higher education for many years before deciding to be a stay at home mom once her daughter was born. In between school drop-offs and pick-ups, she runs the Instagram account @momsfororegon. Initially created as a way to get out the word about extremist local school board candidates, @momsfororegon has evolved into a political guide for Oregon millennial moms. Brittney shows other busy moms—who are scrolling Instagram just like her—how to practically advocate for gun control, public education, women's reproductive healthcare, and other progressive issues. Here are the instagram accounts Brittney suggests listeners follow in this episode: @sharonsaysso @emilyinyourphone @katiegrossbard  

This week, Mallory welcomes her life-of-the-party sorority sister, Monica Burtkoth to the podcast. Monica is a top 40 under 40 trial attorney in Chicago, the wife of a Chicago PD police officer, and the mom of two boys with a third on the way.   Since becoming a mother, Monica has been on a journey of self-rediscovery that led to a realization: despite all the schooling, the accolades, the financial and professional success - law could not fulfill her. So she began searching for what would    As a result, she now hosts a personal development podcast for ambitious women called The Confidence Counsel, has earned her Life Coach certification, and is soon launching a coaching practice to give back to women who were once stuck in a similar spiral of over-worked and under-fulfilled.   Be sure to listen and follow The Confidence Counsel to learn more about Monica.

In this episode of Ambition Liberated, Mallory sits down with Kat Vargas who founded @HowdyPolitics in January 2023 and has since grown its reach to over 14,000 followers. Rookies and veterans in activisim, this episode is for you - a mini master class in how to use the power of your voice to build an engaged, active community that, together, can make a difference in local, state, and national politics. Take notes - we've got a lot of work to do in 2024!  Be sure to read the following article featuring Kat that is mentioned on the podcast: https://19thnews.org/2023/11/the-year-of-the-instagram-moms-2024/ 

On this week's episode, Mallory shares her life and leadership story first told in 2022 as a reminder that success, fulfillment, and freedom - all at once - are possible.  Listeners are invited to find the paralells in their lives, ask the question, "Am I tolerating too much?" and reach out to mallory at hello@mallorydittmer.com if the answer is yes and they're interested in one of the three 1:1 coaching openings Mallory has available.  Next week, the podcast will feature a brand new episode and guest and we look forward to seeing you then! 

It's Election Day in the U-S-A and exactly 364 days til we elect the next President of the United States. As moms across the country are fighitng for great turnout today, they're already gearing up for an even bigger fight to protect women and children in 2024 - and we need DADS to join in the fight with us. Share or talk about this episode with the men in your life - our safety and future depend on it! Instagram accounts referenced in this episode:  @momsforohio @momsforiowa @momsfororegon @momsforkentucky @momsforkansas @momsfornc @momsformichigan @momsformissouri @momsformaine @momsfornewhampshire @momsforconnecticut @howdypolitics (Texas) @motherhoodforgood (Wisconsin) @awakening_through_parenthood @momsdemand        

This week, Mallory speaks with Karen Nussbaum, a 1970's trailblazer who ignited the 9 to 5 movement, sparked a nationwide revolution for women's rights in the workplace, and inspired the Dolly Parton anthem we all know and love today.   Karen shares the ubelievable realities for working women of the time, as well as the practical strategies she and her co-founders used to garner widespread support and initiate change.   This conversation feels especially timely as Karen references when she turned 18 in the late 1960's when she says, "...the world was blowing up and everything was being challenged. There was the Civil Rights Movement. there was the very beginning of the women's rights movement, there was the war in Vietnam which was very unpopular with most Americans, there were uprising on campuses..."   Sounds familiar, doesn't it?   More than anything, Karen is an example of how activism can be lifechanging in the best ways. Even after 50 years of activism, she exudes the kind of confident joy, calm, and gratitude we all long for.    __   More about Karen:   Karen Nussbaum has been an organizer for more than 50 years. She was the founding director of 9to5, the national organization of working women; District 925, SEIU; and Working America, the community organizing arm of the AFL-CIO. Nussbaum served as the director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau, the highest seat in the federal government devoted to women. She is the co-author of two books and writes about women, labor, politics and culture. Nussbaum is on the board of Working America.   https://www.karennussbaum.com/ 

In this episode, Mallory welcomes the mother, advocate, and activist behind the new insta-favorite, @awakening_through_parenthood, Nell Goza.   Motherhood is the ultimate awakening, isn't it?      In this lighthearted conversation, Mallory and Nell laugh through the ups, downs, and rock-bottoms of working motherhood, share the realities of trying to be conscious parents (most of the time), and discuss their slow, life-changing walks into activism.     More than anything, this episode shows just how energizing and empowering it can be when women come together with vulnerability, light and levity - especially in these difficult times we are living and parenting through.     More about Nell:     Nell and her husband live in Atlanta, GA with their two young daughters, beagle, and orange tabby cat. After retiring from a career as a professional dancer, educator, choreographer, and director, she turned to writing as a mode of expression. She now works in corporate communications and spends her time outside of work and family advocating for gun reform and encouraging her sphere of influence to get involved in “everyday politics”. To keep herself sane, Nell loves yoga, red wine, being outside, and lying down.      Be sure to follow @awakening_through_parenthood on instagram and visit awakeningthroughparenthood.com to learn more.

In this solo episode, Mallory breaks down some of the key moments and lessons learned over ten years working with one of the world's biggest brands in women's fashion - Kate Spade New York.   These lessons helped her -   Fall in love with fashion and the power of branding Self-advocate and negotiate a dream career with confidence Evolve her ambition after realizing her dreams weren't at all what they seemed Build treasured, lifelong, could-only-happen-in-New-York memories with her husband See that liberation - in both small and life-changing ways - is always available Realize that success on paper is very different from actually feeling successful Admit when the weight of working motherhood was too heavy to carry alone Give herself permission to stop being stubborn and look outside herself for answers, even after a lifetime of figuring things out on her own   Mallory's stories provide a behind the scenes, inside-look into how her dreams, motherhood, and the fashion industry collided - and prove that our ambition isn't the end-all solution to our lives, but a puzzle to solve and evolve in every season of life.   Mallory's lessons have stuck with her over time and have been foundational to her successful coaching practice over the past three years. In this episode, Mallory previews three upcoming coaching programs to be launched later this year. To view initial summaries and join their waitlists, please visit mallorydittmer.com/work-with-me.    Mallory will share pictures mentioned in this episode on Instagram. Follow her for updates @mallory_dittmer and don't hesitate to DM her with coaching questions, podcast feedback, future guest suggestions, or just to say hi.    Despite no longer having access to those epic sample sales, Kate Spade New York will forever be one of Mallory's favorite fashion brands. Might we suggest watches, stationery, or home decor for your holiday shopping? The product is amazing - and the people behind the product, even more so.

When a mommy blogger ignites a movement to shift the conversation around abortion accountability to men, the world takes notice.  Gabrielle Blair is one of the original design and motherhood bloggers who, in 2018, took a risk by sharing her thoughts on abortion on twitter. Well, it went viral, leading to the publishing of her movement-making 2022 New York Times Best-Seller, Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way To Think About Abortion.  In this conversation, Gabrielle shares her stories and insights from her life as a designer, thought leader, activist, and mother - and reminds us of the freedom that comes when we give ourselves permission to be all that we are - all at once - even on social media.   She is a true multi-hyphenate entrepreneur and multi-faceted mother, and I am truly thrilled and grateful to bring our conversation to you. -- More about Gabrielle: Gabrielle Stanley Blair is the author of the book, Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way To Think About Abortion — an instant New York Times Bestseller. She is also the founder of DesignMom.com. Started in 2006, it has been named a Website of the Year by Time Magazine, praised as a top parenting blog by The Wall Street Journal, Parents, and Better Homes & Gardens, and won the Iris Award for Blog of the Year. Her first book, Design Mom: How to Live with Kids, also a New York Times Bestseller, was published in 2015. Gabrielle is also a founder of Alt Summit, the blockbuster annual conference for online content creators and creative entrepreneurs, currently in its 13th year. As a thought leader for over 15 years, Gabrielle has written and moderated hundreds of discussions on difficult topics, and interviewed some of the most influential people in the world. Her writing is quoted and shared across the globe daily. Gabrielle and her husband, Ben Blair, have six children — Ralph, Maude, Olive, Oscar, Betty, and Flora June. After six years in Oakland, they moved to a small town in Normandy, France where they are renovating a house from the 1600s. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Presenting, the very first guest to the Ambition Liberated podcast - a powerhouse pediatrician, politician, nonprofit CEO - and, yes, a powerhouse mom - Dr. Annie Andrews.  In this conversation, Dr. Andrews shares stories from her first-time run to represent South Carolina's 1st Congressional District in 2022, the path that put a never-talk-politics pediatrician on the campaign trail, and the greater sense of personal power, purpose, and responsibility that followed. Annie is a true advocate for families, and has THE vision we've all been waiting for to get Washington to start protecting and prioritizing our kids.  This is a must-listen. Thank you, Annie! Please follow Dr. Annie Andrews and Their Future. Our Vote. at @annieandrewsmd and @theirfutureourvote on instagram. Visit https://www.theirfutureourvote.org/ to learn more about the KIDS FIRST D.C. Agenda and Political Action Committee that is already making headlines and progress toward being a true catalyst for change.  -- More about Annie: Dr. Annie Andrews is a pediatrician and mom, who has dedicated her career to fighting for a brighter future for all children. After working as a pediatrician at children's hospitals for 15 years, she decided to run for Congress to give children a voice in Washington, D.C.. She was the Democratic nominee in South Carolina's first congressional district in 2022.  She is a gun violence prevention researcher and community advocate working to reduce the frequency of pediatric firearm injuries with a focus on secure storage counseling. Annie is a frequent invited speaker at children's hospitals and medical schools across the country on topics related to child health advocacy and gun violence prevention.  She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a 2022 graduate of Furman University Riley Institute's Diversity Leaders Initiative.  Annie received her MD from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and went on to complete her residency training in Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. She is currently a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she cares for children and adolescents at Children's National Hospital. She is the CEO & Founder of Their Future. Our Vote. and Their Future PAC, organizations that aim to give children a voice in Washington, D.C.. She is also a Senior Advisor to Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action. 

Episode ONE is here! The launch of Ambition Liberated features a solo episode with host Mallory Dittmer who shares the inspiration and purpose behind this new podcast and why the Ambition Liberated call to action is so relevant and necessary for high-achieving women in America today. For more information and resources, check out MalloryDittmer.com and @Mallory_Dittmer and @AmbitionLiberated on Instagram.

Much like my own life and career, this podcast is evolving. Starting today, The Work-Life Leadership Podcast is being renamed and rebranded to Ambition Liberated. Why? Let me tell you on this short transitional episode.  Please visit me at @ambitionliberated and @mallory_dittmer on instagram. -- About Ambition Liberated:  Weekly conversations with everyday women who are using their voice, taking up space, and making bold moves to shift their lives and careers in the direction of true impact, success, and fulfillment. Together, we'll dissect those key moments they decided to stop playing small and start leaning into their ambition.  Hosted by Mallory Dittmer, this podcast isn't afraid to get vulnerable and laugh (or cry) over the magic and misery of being a millennial woman and mom in America today. Each episode aims to inspire and remind every listener of her power to take back control, change her life, and actually do the things she wants to do. Mallory Dittmer is a former fashion executive turned women's leadership coach, personal brand consultant, and fierce advocate for women's representation in government. Visit mallorydittmer.com or follow @mallory_dittmer on Instagram to learn more.

This week, Mallory has a short, personal message coming out of summer and heading into fall. See you next week for a new full episode. 

In this final episode of the six-part Summer Confidence series, Mallory shares her proven quick-fix strategy, pulling together everything we've learned over the past five weeks into an easy activity to get you on the path to greater confidence, immediately. Access The Confidence Fix Workbook here

In episode five of the six-part Summer Confidence Series, Mallory reveals the last layer of lasting, unconditional self-confidence: a sense of purpose and self-fulfillment. This final step is especially powerful as it begins to compound your sense of confidence over time by reiterating your self-worth, self-image, and self-control until you truly embody confidence, no matter your circumstances.  Want to figure out your #1 confidence-killer? Take the quiz here

In episode four of the six-part Summer Confidence Series, Mallory explains how commitment and consistency are incredible catalysts to leading a wholly more confident life. Mallory shares three powerful, proven self-control strategies to help make self-control feel more like freedom than restriction.

In episode three of the six-part Summer Confidence Series, Mallory explores the importance of self-image and mindset on the path to unconditional confidence. Mallory also shares three proven strategies for strengthening self-image to unlock greater confidence in all areas of work and life.

In episode two of the six-part Summer Confidence Series, Mallory explains how lasting, unconditional confidence is rooted in a strong identity and sense of self-worth. Mallory shares three strategies to strengthen your self-worth, moving you closer to greater self-confidence in all areas of work and life.  Want to figure out your #1 confidence-killer? Take the quiz here 

To kickoff the six-part Summer Confidence Series, Mallory revisits the differences between fleeting and lasting confidence, along with the four key areas of focus to get the latter and up-level your work and life. Want to figure out your #1 confidence-killer? Take the quiz here

In this episode, Mallory provides a framework for identifying and correcting the negative influences in your life that are conciously and subconciously standing between you and the growth, fulfillment, and freedom you want.

In this episode, Mallory shares how to conduct an audit of your work-life calendars to open up some room to BREATHE in your workday and schedule some time to really LIVE in your week/month/year.

In this episode, Mallory welcomes a longtime friend Mallory Brown Bogard, co-founder of The Bogard New York Team and a master of authentic personal reinvention and branding. Mallory was born in Oklahoma, started her corporate career in Texas, and is now a force to be reckoned with in NYC as one of the top 1% of real estate agents nationwide. She is the perfect representation of how staying true to yourself - even in a tumultuous industry - truly pays off. 

In this final episode of the Work-Life Integration series, Mallory shares the importance of championing authentic leadership along with some stories from her own career when being authentic and honoring herself in the workplace really paid off - even in times when it wasn't immediately well received (or even downright awkward!). 

In episode four of the Work-Life Integration series, Mallory walks through her evolved personal branding process which acts as a catalyst to her clients' personal and professional integration.

In this third installment of the Work-Life Integration series, Mallory identifies four habits of the high achiever that can often disguise as strengths but are actually great weaknesses on the path to greater success, fulfillment and freedom. 

In this second episode of the Work-Life Integration series, Mallory breaks down The Self-Leadership Cycle, a tool she developed to realize her own work-life integration and find greater success, fulfillment, and freedom in all areas of work and life.

In this episode, Mallory kicks off a four-part Work-Life Integration series. To set the foundation for the series, Mallory shares her philosophy on Work-Life Balance and why the concept has been so unsuccessful as a work-life design solution. She shares 5 key reasons why work-life balance is limiting your progress and potential - and what to consider instead to create more success, fulfillment, and freedom.

In this episode, Mallory shares her ideas around success and sacrifice - what we've been taught to believe and how the future of work will upend many former work-life norms. She also shares how her own work-life transformation required redefining success and building guardrails around sacrifice by silencing the noise of the world and learning to trust her intuition. 

Mallory welcomes Katie Richardson, Chief Magic-Maker, Founder, and CEO of Year Cheer - a holiday subscription box service for working moms who don't have time to shop for holiday decorations, crafts, or activities but want their kids to have memorable holiday moments.  Learn More about Year Cheer at YearCheer.com Housekeeping note: The Work-Life Leadership Podcast will now drop on Tuesdays instead of Mondays. Thanks for listening and your continued support!

When Mallory set out to start her own business and reinvent her career, her coach, an expert in personal and professional reinvention, taught her to poll friends and family with the question, "What do you think of when you think of me?" The answer was surprisingly consistent: "You actually do the things you say you're going to do. You set big goals and actually achieve them." In this episode, Mallory breaks down how to intentionally set and achieve goals through her formula for change, the 5 C's: Clarity, Certainty, Commitment, Consistency, and Celebration.

In this episode, Mallory shares a brief story about her family's recent trip to Disney's Animal Kingdom and how embracing our enthusiasm in work and life creates a greater sense of meaning, connection, and joy.  To see the photos referenced in this epsiode follow Mallory on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallory-dittmer/

In this episode, Mallory explains how the quality of our identities determines the quality of our lives - and how moving away from a performance-driven identity is the greatest unlock to realizing your highest potential.

In this episode, Mallory breaks down the three areas of burnout - physical, emotional, and mental stress - and how we can introduce personal boundaries immediately to help us get relief for each one.  FREE DOWNLOAD of the Prioritizing You workbook with each of the resources we discussed on this episode: https://bit.ly/3CEZtLO 

In this episode we look at Mallory's evolved philosophy on Personal Branding based on almost 15 years experience in Brand Management and 5 years of research and practice in work-life integration, authentic leadership and lifestyle design. Email Mallory with any questions or feedback at hello@mallorydittmer.com.

The need for certainty is a huge factor in what keeps us stuck in work and life. Learning to embrace uncertainty is key to making decisions and taking actions that align your life to the direction of your biggest, boldest, most vulnerable dreams. Register HERE for The Win-Win Workshop where you can learn how to build the foundation for your ultimate win-win solution to your work and life.

We're taught to strive for work-life balance but I had balance and was miserable. My work, life and whole world changed when I decided instead to strive for my work-life WIN-WIN. Register HERE for the FREE Win-Win Workshop

After 30 years of chasing confidence in all the WRONG places, I finally found lasting, unconditional confidence and it was 100% critical to my work-life transformation. In this week's podcast I break down where to stop looking for confidence and where to start. Mastery of the four elements of confidence is the key to more success, fulfillment and freedom. It is the basis of my work-life breakthrough and I'd bet the same would be true for you. Mentioned in this episode is my free mini-course, The Confidence Fix, available at mallorydittmer.com/resources. Check it out and if you desire more clarity or to dig deeper, let's chat. When I first started to learn these concepts my brain was so maxed out and I was SO confused between who I was at work vs. who I was at home. I needed someone to come alongside me and ask the right questions to help me see myself and my path to confidence more clearly. And I'd love to do that for you. Schedule a free, 15-minute Clarity Call with me at mallorydittmer.com/clarity-call.

When I arrived in corporate America in 2010, I was in love. With the energy, the excitement, the possibility, the belonging. This is where I was meant to be. And then I became a mother. And everything changed. It didn't take much time at all to see that this place that I had given so much to for so long, was now an  impossible place to love or to belong.  In this first episode, I share some of my story as a former VP working mom, explain why corporate America was one of the biggest disappointments of my life, and how I am now using my experience to help others. Tune in if you are struggling with burnout for a much-needed reminder that you are not alone, that new possibilities are available to you right now, and that you have the power to take back control of your life. Our lives and careers are a reflection of what we are willing to tolerate and working moms are tolerating entirely too much. I'm on mission to change that. You with me? Mentioned in the episode: @mallory_dittmer on instagram /maldittmer on facebook /mallory-dittmer on linkedin program application: https://forms.gle/Lo7bYhgMWSsnkeGb6 schedule a clarity call: https://www.mallorydittmer.com/clarity-call