Podcast appearances and mentions of liz tenety

We need to do a better job at resourcing ourselves, especially if you've decided that you have an unwavering commitment to see your business and family-life vision through! It's not an easy feat to disrupt industries, create your own, or parent multiple kids. It can be chaotic, even on a good day! That's why this week we're diving into the secrets of how to make it all work—yep, all of it! Do you wonder how you can be a boss at work and a rockstar mom at home and still have time to chase those big, audacious dreams? Well, wonder no more!   I'm bringing you an exclusive mashup featuring two powerhouse mompreneurs, Zibby Owens (mom of 4) and Liz Tenety (mom of 5), who are going to spill the beans on balancing business, babies, and everything in between. You ought to know that I have 3 sons with identical twins in that mix, so I know a thing or two about chaos and what it takes to be in business—I've been here for 13 years! Trust me, you don't want to miss their golden nuggets of wisdom, and I'll be chiming in with some of my own wild stories (hello, diaper blowout during a sales pitch?!)   So, grab your coffee, pop in those earbuds, and let's get inspired to stretch our imaginations and turn those crazy ideas into reality! Ready? Let's go! In this episode, you will hear: How to use your mom skills like humility, adaptability, and patience to dominate the business world.  Infusing your work life with playful strategies that help you manage stress and overwhelm like a boss.  Master the art of profitable relationship-building with techniques that are both strategic and authentic. Say goodbye to awkward networking events! Get tools to navigate those pesky insecurities and show up with confidence in every business conversation. Learn to make bold asks and communicate fearlessly to achieve your wildest business goals.  This episode is brought to you Fertile Imagination to Networking Success by my LIVE 9-week group coaching immersive program on becoming a powerful strategic networker using the Imagination to Impact and Income Method™ to connect with the right people, lead the right conversations, and swing open the right doors to success. The DOORS are officially open! But hurry, the DOORS close on September 27th at 5pm CST. I want to be sure you do not miss out on this opportunity and for that reason I invite you to send me a DM today and ask me anything about the opportunity to enroll today. Send me a DM today: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ to ask me anything before the doors officially close. Happy to hop on a quick 15-minute call too so DM me and I'll send you a link for us to talk. Otherwise, head on to www.melissallarena.com/network  Imagine this in only 9 weeks, you could: Build profitable relationships and exceed your growth goals. Gain access to opportunities, boost your confidence for bolder asks, and raise prices. Feel energized by a fresh approach to relationships that taps into your imagination—the source of joy and fresh ideas. Navigate impostor syndrome, reignite your creativity, meet mom obligations, and achieve your best year ever with a focused plan. Approach your year-end goals with a mindset that leverages your advantages as a mom—letting your kids keep you grounded and present while inspiring you with their growth mindset. How? By enrolling in the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Program for Mom Founders! This game-changing experience which you can enroll in right HERE https://www.melissallarena.com/network/ by September 27th at 5pm CST will show you how to: Transform your networking approach with 9 weeks of live coaching to implement the Imagination to Impact to Income Method™ for genuine connections without gatekeepers. Access an on-demand curriculum with research-based, cross-industry insights covering who to network with, how to find them, and how to create your networking calendar for higher-impact relationships. Experience a one-on-one role-playing session using storytelling to differentiate your business (and yourself), and receive expert feedback on communications for momentum. Revitalize your leadership skills by integrating the strengths you gain from being a mom with diverse modalities and tools that leverage the art of play. Use techniques such as meditations to get your creative juices flowing, boost productivity, and increase your energy. Connect with a community of like-minded mom founders for support and accountability, keeping your standards high and your vision strong. Journal your progress in a workbook to track your improved ability to tackle impostor syndrome and create a visionary leader roadmap to increase confidence. To ensure your long-term success, I've also included additional opportunities to apply these new networking skills by providing you with... Lifetime Access to the on-demand curriculum: Take the guesswork out of networking and refresh your strategy whenever needed. (you can teach this to your kids too!) Two months access to an Alumni online community of like-minded mom founders (priceless value; one contact can turn into a life-changing opportunity!) Two tickets to attend four virtual Quarterly Impact Appreciation Mixers focused on continued education in networking so that you can continue to deepen relationships. And this time only you will also get instant access to three exclusive bonuses that can help you make time for building profitable relationships, making bigger asks to get more, and attracting the right people with resources—so you can connect while you sleep. Get it off your plate!: Reclaim hours each week to easily fit relationship building into your life for business growth. Bolder Communication Strategies Toolkit: Step into a bolder persona and make bolder asks to optimize every interaction. Brush Up Your LinkedIn Profile: Unlock massive networking success by making your LinkedIn profile work harder for you.   I know this sounds too good to be true so don't take my word for it, listen to what others have said about my method. Visit the website: https://www.melissallarena.com/network/ About Melissa Llarena   Melissa is a bestselling author (learn more on www.fertileideas.com), imagination coach behind the Fertile Imagination to Networking Success Group Coaching Program, consultant, speaker, contributor to ForbesWomen articles that have garnered 4 million-plus views, and the podcast host of the Mom Founder Imagination Hub. Featured guests include GaryVee, Beth Comstock, Suzy Batiz, David Meltzer, and hundreds of other unconventional thinkers. Melissa has been featured in the WSJ, Business Insider, Fox Business, CNN Money, The Huffington Post, and other publications. She holds a psychology degree from NYU, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a Transformational Coaching Academy certificate and is training to become a meditation practitioner. Melissa lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three sons (one singleton and a set of identical twins).   Quotes, that can change your perspective: “We need to do a better job of resourcing ourselves. We have almost everything that we need right under our noses." - Melissa Llarena "The idea is to leap to your goals and make big strides, not get there at a snail's pace." - Melissa Llarena "I feel like I lead as a mom, and I feel like it has only made me a better leader, and they don't talk about that at business school at all." - Zibby Owens "Being humble. 100%. The superpower is the ability to constantly learn" - Zibby Owens   “It is about energy, it is about time, it is about money, and all those things kind of intersect and just encouraging people to use their creativity.” - Liz Tenety….on how being a business leader helped her lead her family "What if hanging out with your kids can be part of your competitive advantage, a business strategy, so that you can come up with a better business idea or something more innovative, certainly something that is simpler to describe." - Melissa Llarena “I think it is so important to bring the whole of you to the table because, because as a mom with a business, that is your competitive advantage.” - Melissa Llarena SHARE this episode and unleash your imagination, tap into your superpowers, and build a successful business while being an amazing mom. Join the conversation with other mom founders and learn how to achieve your goals with confidence and support!

Feeling stretched thin as a mom and entrepreneur? Let's talk about burnout and how to beat it! For me, finding that sweet spot between work and family fun is a game-changer. Imagine shooting hoops with your kids or diving into books you all enjoy—it's all about blending joy and quality time.  Next up, we're super excited to have Liz Tenety join us! She's the brilliant co-founder of Motherly and the mastermind behind Founding Women. As a mom of five, Liz knows all about balancing the chaos of a big family with the grind of running a venture-backed startup. She's here to drop some major wisdom on managing your energy, why it's crucial to prioritize your well-being before chasing profits, and how to get creative with childcare and household support. Liz is all about a holistic approach to avoid burnout. She cautions that focusing solely on work and parenting can lead to neglecting friendships and personal wellness. Her advice? Blend work and home life seamlessly, involve the kids in chores, and don't hesitate to get help when needed. We'll also explore how to balance life and business, with Liz sharing tips on building a support team, from hiring a virtual assistant to arranging childcare swaps with other entrepreneur moms. Ready to learn from the best? Let's dive in! In this episode, you will hear: Actionable insights on managing energy and aligning family and business needs. Methods to keep burnout at bay, including investing in well being and child care before turning a profit. Creative ways to blend personal interests with parenting through enjoyable activities. Exploration of energy management techniques and the balance between narrow focus and holistic well being. Hiring resources early and fostering a collaborative family environment to reduce personal burnout. Liz's experience in creating supportive communities for female founders and translating business skills into effective motherhood. Identifying and managing daily parenting tasks and logistical challenges to prevent burnout. Ideas for reimagining work-life balance and parenting to create a sustainable and fulfilling life. Encouragement to build a support network and invest in well being for a successful business and family life.  This episode is brought to you by a LIVE free masterclass How to Craft a Focused Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days Without Draining Your Mom Energy. Back to school for moms? Join me on September 23, 2024 or September 24, 2024! Add your name to my newsletter HERE: https://fertileideas.com/ - this will do two things: you'll instantly receive my free networking playbook and be the first to know when the doors to my masterclass officially open!  Be the first to hear when the DOORS officially open to this FREE masterclass for mom founders. As when they do, you'll get a workbook upon signing up so you can start to warm up your profitable relationship building skills before you need them and for showing up LIVE you'll get my very own plug-and-play 30-day networking planner! How's that for a gift? More about this LIVE free masterclass: How to Craft a Focused Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days Without Draining Your Mom Energy. You want to build profitable relationships without draining your energy for family and business. Imagine if family time and business could fuel each other rather than deplete you. Maybe you've been filling your cup instead of depleting it? I faced the same challenge. I learned to balance being a great business owner and mom while building profitable relationships in my 13-year career. I can help you make this a reality. Hi, I'm Melissa Llarena, bestselling author, podcaster, mom of three boys (including twins), and CEO of a coaching business in Austin, TX. I started my business with my firstborn at six months and, later with twins, struggled with distractions. I discovered that while some founders might reach goals faster, I didn't need to sacrifice my vision. I focused on building profitable relationships, a more consistent path to income than ads or social media algorithms. This approach expanded my reach, boosted my message, and increased my credibility. Plus, my method saves time by skipping gatekeepers, eliminating the need for warm intros or happy hours. This is what sets my method apart. I created a repeatable networking strategy for moms using my "Imagination to Impact to Income Method™." This strategy transformed how I manage time and energy and will be the focus of my LIVE masterclass entitled How to Craft a Focused Year-End Networking Strategy to Build Profitable Relationships in 30 Days Without Draining Your Mom Energy. My mission is to help moms creatively build their business while embracing motherhood. Profitable relationships align with both your business and family goals. I'll show you how in the masterclass to close the year strong. Attend LIVE and get a 30-day Profitable Networking Planner™! No more guessing how to connect with the right people. By the end of the class, you'll learn to: - Reimagine your company vision to energize you. - Find a clear relationship-building focus for your business's potential. - Overcome impostor syndrome to become unstoppable. Learn a proven plan to turn contacts into connections, even if you're an introvert. It helped me land GaryVee on my podcast, write books, and secure major sales, including a collaboration with the world's first IVF baby. I'll share this in the masterclass. Ready to add this to your calendar! Sign-up to be the first to know when the doors OPEN for this LIVE free masterclass! https://www.melissallarena.com/masterclass/ Let's turn ON your superpower LIVE! -Melissa Llarena About Liz Tenety Liz Tenety is a dynamic founder, digital entrepreneur, and transformation coach dedicated to empowering ambitious women. As the co-founder of Founding Women, she supports female founders through expert-led small groups and accelerators. Liz previously served as the Chief Digital Officer and co-founder of Motherly, where she played a key role in growing the venture-backed startup to 30 million monthly users and significant revenue. With nearly 20 years in media and startups—including a decade at The Washington Post—Liz now leads Growth Mode, her growth consulting firm, and coaches at Blue Engine Collaborative and Georgetown University. Her passion lies in using design thinking, storytelling, and data to uplift women and mothers in business. Quotes, that can change your perspective:   "Not having friends is actually a recipe for me for burnout, not focusing on pleasure and rest and play." - Liz Tenety "I realized, okay, wait a minute, instead of paying someone to watch my kids so I can clean, I should hire house help with that extra funds that I might have so that I could spend that time with my kids." - Liz Tenety "I don't know how to keep up with the competition if I'm not up front hiring resources before I make one dollar. Any other mom found a better way?." - Melissa Llarena "I feel your pain, and it's not easy to make these numbers work."  - Liz Tenety "No great company is built alone. And in a lot of ways for me, I learn better how to run my family and think about what it means to lead a family by running a company" - Liz Tenety "You might get so much energy from hanging out with your loved ones. And why would you avoid that source of energy? You're a mom, there's finite energy." - Melissa Llarena   SHARE this episode with anyone who's juggling the demands of motherhood and entrepreneurship! Whether you're seeking tips on avoiding burnout, balancing work and family, or building a support network, Liz Tenety's insights are gold. Let's spread the wisdom and help each other thrive—don't miss out! Supporting Resources:   Website:  https://foundingwomen.co  Instagram: @liztenety Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to my podcast for new moms who are entrepreneurs, founders, and creators?  I'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.   I'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast for writer moms.   About Fertile Imagination – www.fertileideas.com You can be a great mom without giving up, shrinking, or hiding your dreams. There's flexibility in how you pursue anything – your role, your lifestyle, and your personal and professional goals. The limitations on your dreams are waiting to be shattered. It's time to see and seize what's beyond your gaze. Let's bridge your childhood daydreams with your grown-up realities. Imagine skipping with your kids along any path – you, surpassing your milestones while your kids are reaching theirs. There's only one superpower versatile enough to stretch your thinking beyond what's been done before: a Fertile Imagination. It's like kryptonite for impostor syndrome and feeling stuck when it's alert!   In Fertile Imagination, you will awaken your sleeping source of creative solutions. If you can wake up a toddler or a groggy middle schooler, then together with the stories in this book – featuring 25 guests from my podcast Unimaginable Wellness, proven tools, and personal anecdotes – we will wake up your former playmate: your imagination!   Advance Praise   “You'll find reality-based strategies for imagining your own imperfect, fulfilling life in this book!” —MARTHA HENNESSEY, former NH State Senator “Melissa invites the reader into a personal and deep journey about topics that are crucially important to uncover what would make a mom (and dad too) truly happy to work on...even after the kids are in bed.” —KEN HONDA, best-selling author of Happy Money   “This book is a great purchase for moms in every stage of life. Melissa is like a great friend, honest and wise and funny, telling you about her life and asking you to reflect on yours.” —MAUREEN TURNER CAREY, librarian in Austin, TX TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Liz:  I try to set up opportunities for play with my kids that I enjoy. I don't like board games. I just like, I don't like that. And I don't like terrible cartoon character books, the little books with Paw Patrol. Like aesthetically, like it offends me. So I try to like play a basketball. I love playing basketball with my son. So I'll try to do something with my child that I enjoy and read choose the book that is going to bring me pleasure to read with my kid. 00:00:33 Melissa:  Welcome to the Mom Founder Imagination Hub, your weekly podcast to inspire you to dream bigger. Plan out how you're going to get to that next level in business. Find the energy to keep going and make sure your creative juices are flowing so that this way you get what you really want rather than having to settle. Get ready to discover how mom founders have reimagined entrepreneurship and motherhood. Ever wonder how they do it? Tune in to find out and stretch yourself by also learning from diverse entrepreneurs who might not be moms, but who have lessons you can tailor about how you can disrupt industries and step way outside of your comfort zone. I believe every mom's superpower is her imagination. In this podcast, I'm going to give you the mindset, methods, and tools to unleash yours. Sounds good? Then keep listening.   00:01:25 Melissa:  Welcome, beautiful mom founder. So in today's episode, we're gonna go through burnout. Is there a way to avoid it? Is there a way to keep it at bay through energy management solutions that work for you and your family? Also, we're gonna go through building a business and how that might actually make you a more empowered mom who can design a family life that is almost like run like a business with heart, of course. We're also gonna go through investing in your wellbeing and why you might want to pay for the child care, pay for the VAs before you turn a profit. So the conversation today is something that I personally really needed. Today's guest is none other than the co-founder behind Motherly, current founder of Founding Women, a career community supporting female founders through expert led small groups and accelerators. The name of today's guest is Liz Tenety. 00:02:21 Melissa:  I am thrilled to have her perspective. She's a mom of five and she knows what it takes in order to run a venture backed startup. She also knows what it takes in terms of the requirements that having a big family have on our energy levels and sources. So enjoy the conversation. Definitely. Let me know what you think in terms of the possibilities for you to almost piece together your own childcare solutions, piece together your own resources so that you can have that opportunity to invest in your wellbeing upfront, so that you can actually launch your business, build your business, scale your business, and make whatever vision you have for your business turn into a reality that you are better off for, you and your family. That's what it's about here. So enjoy the conversation. 00:03:17 Melissa:  This episode is brought to you by a masterclass I want to formally and cordially invite you to on September 23rd. We're gonna go through a focused 30 day networking strategy that is gonna help you end the year strong. It is about having a company vision that energizes you. It is about, and we're gonna go through how to focus, where to apply your finite focus as a mom, and also how to actually navigate feeling like an imposter at times so that you get billed and really enhance the profitable relationships that are going to take your business to the next level. This is happening on September 23rd. I know, I know, right now we are just getting our kids back to school and that might not be on your top of mind list, but I want to just give you some of the details that we're going to run through. And I want to invite you to sign up today for my newsletter so that you're the very first to hear of when I opened the doors for this masterclass that will be live for one hour on September 23rd, which is a Monday. So just go to fertileideas.com. Go ahead and grab my free networking playbook while you're at it, and that will instantly put you on the list. So on September 23rd, here's what you're in for.  00:04:45 Melissa:  You are going to 100% have a really good idea on how to make your company vision, which a lot of you might call your origin story or that description on your website that describes what you do, who you are and why, and have it work for you. Have it energize you, have it feel more aligned and have it almost like contribute to that pep in your step. The second thing we're going to do is we're going to narrow your focus. And here's what I mean by that. It is not about, you know, not, it's not about being in monk mode. It's not about going to a retreat in some cottage in Canada. No, it is about understanding what you need to accomplish to make the end of this year, 2024, align with what you had originally intended this year to look like in terms of your revenue, in terms of your business, in terms of whatever creative endeavor you have out there. And the third point, which I mentioned a little earlier is, you know, on a path to building a business, there are moments where you might start second guessing yourself. You might encounter self doubt that mental chatter that I don't know if I'm ready might pop up. I want you to have a proactive plan this year so that the end of the year, you don't have regrets. I wish I would have, I wish I would have pressed send. I wish I would have published my book. I wish I would have, you know, launched my podcast, I wish I would have asked for, you know, bigger donation dollars for my nonprofit. I don't want you to have that on your heart.  00:06:11 Melissa:  I want you to be totally prepared and ready for a strong end to 2024. So quick, quick, quick to do go to fertileideas.com. That'll be in the show notes and sign up. Get the playbook while you're at it. I have a networking playbook that also helps you start to build profitable relationships and it is so useful whether you are an introvert or an extrovert or somewhere in between There's such a thing as an ambivert. So go ahead to fertile ideas comm get the playbook. Here's the thing I'm gonna be pricing it about $14.99 so you could totally wait and get it later, but today right now it is free for mom founders to go to fertileideas.com, that is how you get in my email newsletter and that is also how you have first persons access to the details around this masterclass that will be live will be on September 23rd and will be all for mom founders who want to end the year strong.  00:07:09 Melissa:  So go ahead right now. I'll give you a second hit pause and sign up for the playbook. So you get on the newsletter and you're the first to know about this masterclass is going to change the way you end 2024. I look forward to seeing you there and enjoy the conversation with Liz Tennedy. I'm so excited that she joined me on The Mom Founder Imagination Hub. So Liz, I am so excited to have you here on the mom found her imagination hub. I love that you're putting on chapstick. That is so mom of you in the morning. How are you?  00:07:41 Liz:  I'm great. I slept well last night and kids are healthy. The babysitter's here. We're nearing the end of summer break. So I'm feeling hopeful about the future, even the next couple of weeks. 00:07:56 Melissa:  Yeah, I think they call it summer break, but I feel like we end up kind of breaking, if we don't have everything like structured out and our resources in place. And so I get it. I get it. But here's here's something that I would love to speak with you about in great depth, right? For as long as we have the time. Burnout. Let's let's like dive deeply into burnout. I mean, in terms of your experiences and now with what you're doing with Founding Women, I know that it's top of mind. I know that it's part of, you know, wellness as a solution, but here's kind of my thought on burnout and I wanna hear what you think. So I feel like having a narrow focus is one way to kind of proactively address burnout or not get to that place. But then I also think, so I have lots of thoughts, but I'll just share my second and I'll stop there. I also think that we have different points at which we reach burnout. So I might reach burnout after X hours of work sitting down at my computer, whereas someone else might have a different burnout point. So here's the question I asked myself legit. How can I work really hard and long right before my burnout point so I don't get to that place where it's hard to get back? 00:09:22 Liz:  I mean, it's such a huge, huge topic. I think something I always personally love to do is to zoom way out. And by that, I don't just mean for my own life. I actually mean like on the horizon of time and human history, how are humans doing work and life in other cultures, in other times, like a hundred years ago, 10,000 years ago? Because my own like little life hypothesis is that we're living in unbelievably unprecedented times, particularly for mothers in the West who, you know, live these nuclear family lives. They have less sort of social support than ever, right? And we also have in its place no structural support, no political support, no corporate culture support for motherhood to kind of put my own struggles and the struggles of other parents, but especially moms that I encounter like in this context of, sure, by a lot of measures, we have things better than in human history. 00:10:36 Liz:  But if you look at other groups of measures like social support, belonging, meaning, I think we're actually really struggling. And so just knowing that helps me not feel so alone and feel like the struggle is real, like it's not just all up in my head. So that helps. And I'm always zooming out for my own problems and the daily struggles, because it really helps to put things in perspective for me. You mentioned narrow focus, which I find really interesting. And I don't know that I have like one answer. And frankly, I think any productivity guru who's giving you one answer or one framework is lying to you in different seasons of life. And I think that's particularly true for women and those who bear children that there's literally seasons that happen in your body and we need to respect them, but there's also seasons throughout the year. Capitalism acts like everything is always upward on the trajectory and it's not. We do need those seasons of rest and recovery that are just natural to being a human, especially being a woman, especially being a mother. So pushing back on that idea that it's always, you know, upwards. Anyway, get back to narrow focus. When I heard you talk about narrow focus, it reminded me of Greg McEwen's book, Essentialism, which I read, let's see, six years ago, and I found it so helpful, and I found it like such a relief.  00:12:10 Liz:  I was running my startup at the time or venture back startup, we were in total growth mode. I mean, it was so intense every single day. I read it on vacation that I took. And one of the one of the anecdotes in that book is about a large family. I think I think it was a stay at home mom and like a traditional working, you know, in the office dad. I remember that they had six kids. And the story was that that couple had decided that for that season of life, they did not need to focus on their friendships, their social lives, okay? And they went really narrow. It's about raising the kids and running this household. Again, I get that. And that was so logical. So I kind of bought it into this idea of narrow focus, right? The only thing I told myself at that time that I had capacity for, the only things were taking care of my kids and running my startup. And I bought in on that. And what happened was I burned out. And I realized why.  00:13:12 Liz:  And actually, Greg McEwen has written a follow-up book called Effortless, like critiquing his own framework here because then I realized, you know, in the pandemic and in the years that followed, as I approached 40, not having friends is actually a recipe for me, for burnout, not focusing on pleasure and rest and play. That I got so narrow that I didn't even allow myself to do things that were actually holistically good for me as a human being. So, and yeah, I'm attracted to the idea of like going narrow and not and letting certain things fall by the wayside. I do think depending on your season of life though, really looking holistically at like, what do I, what do I actually need to be refueled for this journey?   00:14:03 Liz: And kind of doing that 360 view of it is really critical. And I think for me, being too narrow and saying, oh, I don't have time for friends. I don't have time to work out. I don't have time for wellness. I'll prioritize that in a different season. That's actually ironically the thing that led me to burnout and then decide like, okay, I need a hard break with what, you know, the life that I've been living in a big reset, which is what I did about three years ago. 00:14:29 Melissa: Yeah. And it's interesting because when I talk about focus, what I mean is focusing on what gives you energy. And it doesn't necessarily mean taking everything off your plate. You might actually want to add things to your plate that energize you, like in your case, friendships, right? Or playing with your child, you know, playing pretend and things like that. That magical moment and experience can make you more excited when you're out there marketing, you know, your solution. And so I totally get what you're saying. I think our focus for what helps us avoid burnout. 00:15:11 Melissa: It's different. It's different from me. It's different for you, you know, like maybe, maybe I have social anxiety. I know some clients of mine, they suffer with that. And so the thought of them like going out in the world and such is draining on them, you know, but like virtual coffee chats as an example, might be really uplifting and helpful. So I think your point is perfect. Absolutely perfect. So let me ask you this question, because I feel like it's like the elephant in the room, right? For a lot of moms that found a business. So you mentioned two big, big, big things that were going on in terms of mothering your children, of which you have five, right? You have five. And running a business. So those two things, like I feel like the other side of it is, okay, how do you prevent burnout? I think we also have to be honest about the things in our lives that contribute to burnout that are not just you know, pitching clients or getting investors, but also untangling fights between siblings or schlepping someone from point A to point B and you know, there being traffic. And I don't have a spreadsheet that says, here are all the things that I think about that drain me from a family perspective, but I do have a list of to-dos from a business perspective.  00:16:34 Melissa: So looking at both sides, would you say that you have found in talking to founding women and learning about moms, through motherly and other means, have you found that maybe we're not being honest enough with the things that are really on our list? There are some invisible things that are not on our list that drain us. 00:16:54 Liz:  I love that. Yeah, that makes so much sense. I love your framework around energy management and I think it's sort of surging as a concept and people are growing in their awareness of this idea of focusing on what you have energy for and the sources of energy drain so that you can be in that zone of genius more frequently. And also, you know, you mentioned playing with your kids. I got some great advice a decade ago from a friend and I've tried to practice it, which is that I try to set up opportunities for play for kids that I enjoy. I don't like board games. I just like, I don't like that.  00:17:36 Liz: And I don't like terrible cartoon character books, you know, the little books with like Paw Patrol, like aesthetically, like it offends me, you know? So I try to like play a basketball. I love playing basketball with my son. So I'll try to do something with my child that I enjoy and read, choose the book that is going to bring me pleasure to read with my kid.  00:18:00 Liz: So even in parenting, looking, taking inventory of how do I use that, even in the car. I want to put music on that I'm going to enjoy, that I'm going to get energy from. And, you know, they're kind of whining in the background because, like, they don't like my weird music. Like, I'm fine with that. I, you know, I am the driver. I am the parent. I'm going to decide that, you know, we're listening to music that I enjoy. You know, you also are reminding me of. Something that I talk to my husband about all the time, which is that we're trying to build a life for ourselves and an integrated work and life work business family that we haven't quite seen modeled in our you know, micro communities.  00:18:44 Liz: You know, we've seen it kind of out there vaguely with like influencers who kind of live that more integrated family lifestyle. And by that I mean like family businesses or having a unique work family blend or being digital nomads and that kind of thing, which we're not, but I find that general concept interesting. And that is this, that if we want to live a little bit more intentionally, a little bit more unconventionally, we are going to have to find solutions for our family that we haven't seen modeled. And so something I love about your work is just your appreciation for creative genius and outside of the box solutions. 00:19:30 Liz:  But to get very specific, I realized a few years ago that I was hiring babysitters at nights or on the weekends so that I could catch up on housework or paperwork, you know, all the like logistics. So I realized, okay, wait a minute, instead of paying someone to watch my kids so I can clean, I should hire house help with that extra money. funds that I might have so that I could spend that time with my kids. And similarly, I recently hired a VA, a virtual assistant, right? So it's 600 bucks a month. I don't pay my bills anymore. They get paid, but my VA pays the bills, plans activities, buys tickets and airfare for trips.  00:20:18 Liz: Anything that's like weighing on me, even something this week I asked her to do was make sure the kids were signed up for the right bus for their school, all of that long, long, long, long list. I think of it like building scaffolding around our family where there's that long family list and I'm able to get support in things that aren't bringing me energy and that are taking away from my capacity to be focused on my kids at that time or on my work. The last part of where we are as a family with this I have to give my husband a lot of credit. We're working really hard in this season of life to get our kids much more actively involved in like solving the problems or the work of the family.  00:21:05 Liz: So having a heavier chore list for them, having them make sure they're doing their own laundry, having very clear assignments. In fact, last night my daughter was working on the meal plan and adding the ingredients to our grocery card on my phone. And so we think of it like a team. And when we think of our family as a team and as your kids get older, I'm finding it helpful and instructive and good for them to be more involved in making this team like function as a group. So those are some of the creative ways that I found to over time make this all work in a way that decreases my personal burnout.  00:21:49 Melissa: That makes sense, a lot of sense. I mean, I've definitely had someone that was talking about fair play and just, you know, making sure that everybody picks up different responsibilities and the mom, for the most part, doesn't feel so like, you know, out of control. So I totally hear what you're saying. I have to ask this question. It's something that is really pressing on my mind because a lot of the clients that I've supported. 00:22:14 Melissa: It's almost like they wait until a certain magic number from a revenue perspective or a certain magic age of their kids to start hiring any resources. Yeah. Right. So I heard and this could be totally fictional, but I heard one mom say, oh, I had a coach that said, you know, before, like, make $100,000 in your business and then hire a VA, for example. And so she split it in half. She said, how about $50,000 and then I hire a VA. Here's the chicken and egg question. It's like, as a mom, to be very brutally honest, I don't know how to keep up with the competition if I'm not upfront hiring resources before I make $1. Like help me untangle this. 00:23:11 Liz: I couldn't agree more and I don't presume to speak for other people's budgets and you know people have a wide variety of needs and things that they're paying for. I will say that you know as we've become parents, we were 27 when we became parents, we're about to turn 40 this year. So we make significantly more money today than we did you know when we were 27 and we had our first child and the vast majority of that income, the extra income that we made has been reinvested in quality childcare that makes our lives easier as parents in some housekeeping support. We have less now than we've had in the past because our kids are more capable.  00:23:53 Liz: But when I was working at the start or running my startup full-time, you know,  I was not doing any housework. That was like a weekly job and or someone was coming in to do the laundry. We have looked at like school budgets, right? Like our kids haven't necessarily gone to the preschool that we really wanted them to go to because literally my husband showed me if you choose this preschool, we choose this preschool, like we can't have housekeeping support. So we chose like the more affordable option so that we could put that money back into having a housekeeper and help us with the laundry and the maintenance of our home.  00:24:34 Liz: So, and we don't take many vacations, if any, will go travel to visit our families. We've even started driving 10 hour trips, 12 hour trips to go visit family to cut down on the cost of our vacations because I truly believe that early investment in my wellbeing is the thing that's gonna allow me to build my next business and kind of align my professional life with the integrated family life that I really want. 00:25:03 Liz: That being said, like it's so, so hard out there for working moms. We lack affordable childcare. We lack maternity leave policies. So I have nothing but empathy and I want people to know that if they are just truly looking at their budgets and saying like, I can't make this work, it's not your fault. You know, we, we have to pay, is it in some cities, you know, twice the cost of housing for our childcare. And there's no other country on earth that asks this of families. 00:25:34 Liz: So, you know, I feel your pain and it's not easy to make these numbers work. That being said, reinvesting yourself is absolutely the best thing that you can do and, you know, do it flexibly. I've had certain VA services that didn't work out and I no longer work with them. The one that I'm using now is phenomenal and I'm recommending them to others. But there's a book called Design Your Life, which is out of the Stanford D school and this whole idea of using prototypes, right? Lightweight prototypes to find solutions is one that I think my husband and I have tried and applied. And we keep trying different solutions to make this work in our various stages of life.  00:26:15 Melissa: Yeah. I mean, I, it's so interesting because I think so much great thinking comes out of these world-class institutions, right? I know you're at Georgetown and for me, I have relationships with Tuck but what I will say the one really big missing piece of the puzzle is okay. So that's nice if you wanna work in a big corporate environment, go up the ranks, et cetera, or have a startup, I'm thinking about Stanford, right? With its entrepreneurial leanings. But then what happens when you've had no sleep? Or what happens when you have one child and then you have five, you know, there's all these changes that are not just logical spreadsheet solutions, but they're emotional conversations that a lot of founding moms have in our heads that take up our finite energy.  00:27:04 Melissa: Okay, so here's something else that I was super curious to hear your thoughts on. So asking for help and just, you know, resources. I was having this like conversation with a mom, you know, over me with the margarita, her with the tea, and she said, you know, I've met all these like moms that have these fabulous businesses and they have legions of support, legions. And that's not what I heard you say right now. I heard that it's quite the adjustable team building setup. Say more on maybe the first step. Like how can somebody just incrementally build a team so that they don't have to like go all out and think, oh, it's all or nothing. But you know, there's this one resource and second and third.  00:27:51 Liz: So I guess over the decade of that, I've been a mom and an entrepreneur, I've learned how to think really creatively about time. And you know, all like working moms know that all of a sudden we can get a whole day's worth of work done in just a few hours. And that kind of may have seemed impossible before motherhood, but we just get this incredible focus. So I have been there. I mean, when I was a first, when I was a new working mom, I could not afford full time childcare. So I had four hours in the morning, I had lunch with my son, and then I worked as hard as I could during his two hour nap, right. So I kind of got to seven hours of work, working that way, just working around nap time. 00:28:36 Liz: I also have joined gyms where there's two hours of childcare and a little cafe that you can sit in. And so for like 200 bucks a month, you get two hours of childcare a day, whether or not you work out, which is a pretty great deal. You know, YMCAs have free childcare and are really affordable in a lot of communities. So I would think, you know, I would not bat an eye at doing that. I've also heard of entrepreneur moms setting up childcare swaps with other entrepreneurs. So one mom takes the kids one day, another mom, the next.  00:29:13 Liz: I also just, you know, encourage people to think about what they really need help with. Cause sometimes I think, do I really need more childcare and to spend a thousand dollars next week on full-time childcare or do I need to assign this project? To my VA or hire someone on Upwork to get this job done, right? I also think looking at the weekends, which I can often get taken over by kid activities, but my husband and I are working hard now to make sure that we each have designated time on the weekends to ourselves so that we can recover a little bit from the week and be able to be more intentional with, with our kids. So I guess not that I have an easy answer, but trying to think really creatively about your team, your time, where to find really dedicated pockets of time.  00:30:06 Liz: Lastly, I work from home. I've worked full-time from home for 12 years since becoming a mom. But this afternoon, I'm going to a cafe because talk about the space-time continuum. I can somehow be so much more creative and productive and I can put my headphones on and get a latte and sit down and crank workout in a cafe environment. Like that energy is really good for me creatively. And so again, it's like, it is about energy, it is about time, it is about money and all those things kind of intersect and just encouraging people to use their creativity.  00:30:41 Liz: Also, ChatGPT is blowing my mind every single day. And so when I have like thorny questions of how do I solve this weird problem that I've never even talked to someone about? ChatGPT is surprising me with what it's able to suggest. So even AI tools and things like that are able to kind of introduce serendipity into our lives when we realize that, you know, no great company is built alone. And in a lot of ways for me, I learned better how to run my family and think about what it means to lead a family by running a company and seeing no one can, I can't scale a startup by myself. I need talent to be in their zone of genius and we need to work together on a shared mission. And that over time is how I've tried to operate our family more and more intentionally, learning from running my company.  00:31:32 Melissa: I love that. That's the opposite direction or the other direction that Zibby Owens suggested. So Zibby Owens was on Mom Founders Imagination Hub. And she was saying how being a stay at home mom has helped her build out her business and the Zibby verse. Right. So that's like one direction. And then now you are sharing how it helps in the opposite direction too. Right. So founding the business, building the business, being a mom. And I feel like I'm kind of in between because I literally launched my business with my firstborn on my chest. Like I went to that first sales meeting with my baby in my Ergo baby. And he had a diaper blowout and I closed the sale. But Manhattan is all the better for that experience.  00:32:25 Melissa: [unclear] I love this. I love this. And you know what? You have a fertile imagination to say the least. And I think that is, it's huge. It's one worthy that anyone listening should totally check you out. Totally check out Founding Women, go to the website. And just use that expansive thinking to figure out the best solution for yourself, because your energy needs might be different than Liz's energy needs and my own. And so we need to each do our due diligence to see what works best for us and our family. So thank you so much, Liz. And so I appreciate you so much, Liz, for this conversation. And I would love to just hear more about where listeners can... follow you and learn more about what you're building for us.  00:33:15 Liz: Sure, well, thank you for that. My husband went to Stanford Business School and I did not attend but I did start motherly while he was in business school. And I'm on a list serve with all these women who are moms coming out of Stanford GSB, right? So high powered business women and they're about seven years post MBA right now, seven to ten years post MBA. And all of these high powered women are wrestling with this exact thing. So it's just really interesting to have like a sneak peek into that.  00:33:44 Liz: I am building a new support community for female founders. It is the community that I did not have. I think, you know, there's awesome career communities out there for ambitious women. Chief is, you know, the big famous one among them. But in my experience, founders, entrepreneurs are... much more motivated by this idea of freedom, of building an asset, of controlling your schedule. And the challenges that we face are quite different as female founders trying to build in that way. So people can go to foundingwomen.co. You can also look me up on LinkedIn, where I share more information about our community and also just supportive resources for female founders. So my name is Liz Tenety, T-E-N-E-T-Y. I'm hoping eventually to launch my own personal Instagram.  00:34:34 Liz: But I'm also the co-founder of Motherly. So if you are a mom and kind of in the midst of intense, you know, motherhood seasons, we provide expert support and resources on Instagram and our website, and you can find us at @mother.ly.  00:34:49 Melissa: Here are the three things that you will want to really think through pertaining to how to make your life better, how to feel more energized, more enthusiastic about what's ahead. Point number one, investing in your wellbeing before you turn a profit, understanding that everyone's budget is going to be different, and also understanding that you might feel uncertain in terms of what is coming up in the markets, et cetera. It is still a choice that you can make if you already are using some dollars for other sort of components of your childcare experience, right?  00:35:24 Melissa: So what I loved about Liz was that she didn't necessarily come up with some extra magic money. She instead with her husband made a decision. Either the kids go to childcare or go to a preschool that is higher priced, or we figure out a more affordable solution for their childcare or for their preschool and use the remainder or what's leftover or the extra for whatever it might be, cleaning the house. And so that is very inventive in the sense that it's not so much like asking for more, but doing different with the dollars that you intended to spend anyways. 00:36:03 Melissa: Second point, and again, this is before turning a profit if that is available to you. It is an investment. It's a different way of seeing things. The second point that I think is really worth thinking through for yourself is that burnout is not necessarily about being in monk mode, going to a retreat and being secluded from family and friends. You might get so much energy from hanging out with your loved ones. And why would you avoid that source of energy? You're a mom, there's finite energy. And if that is important to you, it is important for you to include that in terms of your, you know, avoid burnout plan.  00:36:43 Melissa: Here's the third point in terms of building a business. Zibby Owens actually in another podcast, which I will link in the show notes. She said that she learned how to build her business and be a team leader from being a stay at home mom. Here, Liz provides the opposite. She shares how building her business, so co-founding Motherly and now founding Women, is helping her really navigate motherhood and build a lifestyle and family life experience that is quote unquote sustainable and I don't know, maybe scalable if that's the right word in that instance. Either way, I would encourage you to really reimagine how you approach your life experience and how you intend to build up or scale your business given this conversation with Liz. 00:37:34 Melissa: I think there was a lot here that can be shared with other moms. I think anyone that is starting or thinking about launching a business needs to hear this conversation. So go ahead and share this episode with them today. You could share it either on iTunes or right here. Be sure that if you do share it on YouTube, which I would love, be sure that you share it with them and you just give them a heads up that they're about to change their perspective on whether or not it's possible to avoid burnout with few or limited resources. I think this conversation offered enough food for thought.  00:38:12 Melissa: So thank you so much. And until next Tuesday, did you subscribe? Did you actually hit the notification bell on YouTube? And if you're listening on iTunes or anywhere else this podcast is heard, did you hit follow? You just have the tiny little things that make a really big difference and encourage me to continue to pump content out like this for other moms. Moms who we have to use our imagination in order to carve a path that we may have never seen laid out for us before. Thank you so much.  

Ophira chats with Liz Tenety, journalist and founder of the website and community Motherly.  Liz tells us why she might not call back the school nurse, and how her parenting has changed as her number of children increased.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. Motherly is an all-in-one parenting platform that is on a mission to help every mother thrive with expert advice, inspirational stories, curated solutions and more. Cofounder Jill Koziol joins us with more. Jill Koziol: In 2015, Liz Tenety and I founded Motherly, determined to redefine what it means to be “motherly” for a new generation of mothers. Since then, we have created a woman-centered, expert-driven, empowering platform guiding modern mothers through parenthood, from conception to college. From viral moments to longer-form reporting and personal essays that dig deep on pain points that weigh on mothers' hearts to curated product recommendations that make our moms' lives easier, our content shines a light on the current state of motherhood. We know from experience that the journey requires real support, real answers and real solutions so you can not only survive but thrive in motherhood. Through our expert-driven articles, digital classes, podcast, books, and curated shopping guides, Motherly is there for moms, whenever and wherever they need us. If you're a mother, or if you know someone who is, check out our vast array of resources aimed at supporting you and your family. Get started at mother.ly. Derek Miller: Whether you're a new or experienced mother, join the 30 million plus users that consume Motherly content each month for inspiration and parenting support. Learn more at their website. I'm Derek Miller with the Salt Lake Chamber, Speaking on Business. Originally aired: 4/16/24

We're living in a world where a world where dogs have better *legally protected* postpartum rights than US moms. Appalled? Good. So are we.

Jill Koziol is the CEO and co-founder of Motherly, an educational platform and lifestyle brand redefining motherhood. Motherly's goal is building a movement helping women across the world thrive as mothers and make the most of their parenting experience.Jill talked to us about how the idea for Motherly was born, and how she and her co-founder Liz Tenety originally met. Jill discussed building the brand recognition, getting the first publicity and leveraging the organic content distribution to get the initial traction. We also talked about the advantages of a content and community-first approach to building a startup.Jill discussed the relationship between her and her co-founder and how they approached divvying up the roles and equity in Motherly when founding the company. Jill also shared what she thinks are the most important traits of the first hires for a startup, and what every founder should look for when hiring their first employees.We also cover the process of raising capital for Motherly, striking a balance between journalistic integrity and brand building, and Motherly's educational platform.Motherly: https://www.mother.ly/Jill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillkoziol/Capbase: https://capbase.com/

Back in 2015 Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety realized: there wasn't any empowering content for millennial moms. Instead, there were outdated tropes about what moms should be – and what they shouldn't. That sparked the idea for their company, Motherly, a digital platform centering moms through non-judgmental content about parenthood, being a working parent, and everything in between. And today, Jill and Liz share how motherhood expanded and nourished their sense of self. In this episode, Jill and Liz share: One of the most shocking learnings from their State of Motherhood survey Why reclaiming your power by setting time for yourself is key The wake up call that told Jill she needed to prioritize her health  Why Liz reduced her duties as co-founder 

This is week we are talking to Liz Tenety of the Mother.ly. Liz was a direct influence on how we decided to go about making Momtourage and she didn't even know it! We came in thinking we were very different and left realizing that we are more alike, ain't that the great leveler of motherhood. Her podcast still remains the GOAT. As usual we got your#TITSANDSHITS and our #SWAGBAG picks! Don't forget to LEAVE US A REVIEW! We will read them on air until we get to 1,000. Thanks to our sponsor Athletic Greens Use code: MOMTOURAGE and get a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase For more info: mother.ly Motherly Podcast This week's #SwagBag picks: Ashley: Supergoop Glow Screen Keri: Puracy Stain Remover Send us your child or partners YELP REVIEW at: hello@momtouragepodcast.com ASK US ANYTHING! HAPPY TO GIVE ADVICE. Email us at hello@momtouragepodcast.com For more Momtourage:  iTunes: https://tinyurl.com/y6xrpx8e Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/y5f6ahn4 Instagram: www.instagram.com/momtouragepodcast  Facebook: www.facebook.com/MomtouragePodcast  YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y4re9sca Website: www.MomtouragePodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie is joined this week by Co-founder and CEO of Motherly Jill Koziol. The two chat about how Jill and her co-founder Liz Tenety brought the modern motherhood lifestyle brand to fruition while raising a family, and how COVID may have set mothers back a generation. As an entrepreneur and mom of two who felt like she needed to handle it all, Jill shares the steps she took to scale her business AND better show up for her children. She also gives her honest perspective on mom guilt, and how she practices self-care - especially after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis soon after launching her company. Plus, what advice does Jill have for career-driven women who are becoming first-time moms? Tune in for more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liz Tenety, co-founder of Motherly, gives behind-the-scenes insight on trends, what she sees as a big source of struggles for moms, how creating Motherly has influenced her own mothering and how being a mother has influenced her work. Enjoy! Click here for full show notes, with links to the Motherly website, classes and resources. I'd love to pray for you and your family, email me. No strings attached, no follow up. Just a quiet way for me to support you in your parenting journey. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ann-mckitrick/support

Gloria calls up Liz Tenety, co-founder of Motherly and host of the Motherly podcast, to compare notes on balancing work and child care with a COVID outbreak in the home. The two of them talk about prioritizing self-care, acknowledging when you need help, and giving yourself permission to not do all the things. Plus, Liz tells a rage-inducing story about how her husband had to battle his own HR department over who, exactly, was the “primary parent” in their household.    Keep up with Motherly on Facebook and Twitter @motherlymedia and on Instagram @mother.ly. And check out their website mother.ly.    This podcast is presented by Neighborhood Villages, and is brought to you with generous support from Imaginable Futures, Care For All Children by the David and Laura Merage Foundation, and Spring Point Partners.   Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.    Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/.   Laugh, cry, be outraged, and hear solutions! Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nooneiscomingtosaveus.    Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.    For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elle Moxley is the Founder and Director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which advocates for Black Trans people, as well as the co-founding member and former strategic partner of the Black Lives Matter network. In this special episode, Elle shares her story with Liz, offers insight into how parents can help build a more inclusive society, and talks about the Marsha P. Johnson Institute's new partnership with H&M.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Liz speaks with Montessori educators and authors, Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike. They discuss their latest book, Montessori Baby and explain the Montessori philosophy and how to apply it to the youngest children (even before they are born). They also explain how the way they educate children differs from the way in which they were raised, and why it is so important to parent from a place of respect and love.

Diana Spalding is a certified nurse midwife and mother of three young children. She has a master’s degree in midwifery from NYU and has worked as a nursing school professor at Cedar Crest College, as well as a midwifery school advisor at Georgetown University. With Sounds True, Diana Spalding is the author of the book The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey (with Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety). In this podcast, Diana speaks with Sounds True founder Tami Simon about creating a more nurturing society for mothers, redefining motherhood for today’s times, the incredible productivity of moms at home and work, and much more. 

Jill Koziol is the co-founder and CEO of Motherly, an online community and website designed to provide mom-to-mom inspiration and expert advice to help mothers around the world learn proven tips and tricks to make motherhood more empowering and rewarding. She is also the former co-founder of HoneyBee Child, an upscale, mom-inspired brand offering baby and toddler products. Jill holds a Master's degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University, a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics from Towson University, and is certified in Infant and Maternal Health and Strategy and Customer Relationships. When she's not running her company, she can often be found spending time with her husband and two daughters or advocating for families, female founders, and helping others learn to thrive with Multiple Sclerosis. Jill joins us today to share the inspiration behind the Motherly platform and their efforts to embrace and inspire the ‘modern mother.' She shares how the company has grown to reach over 30-million monthly users and how they've stayed true to their vision of becoming the intersection of content, community, and commerce for modern mothers. We discuss the importance of staying authentic and building a community around your business. Jill discusses the challenges her company faced when raising venture capital and finding angel investors and the lessons she has learned along the way. She shares her story of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and how she has thrived in business and motherhood despite having a chronic disease. She also shares how she developed a strong relationship with her co-founder, Liz Tenety, despite living in different states as well as her philosophy on building a brand with generational longevity. “Success is a combination of persistence and passion.” - Jill Koziol This week on SocialFly's Entreprenista Podcast: The inspiration behind launching Motherly and their mission to be the intersection of content, community, and commerce for modern mothers worldwideWhy they decided to build an audience before creating productsJill's secrets to successfully building a thriving community and the importance of leaning into authenticityThe challenges Motherly faced when raising capital and finding investorsThe importance of persistence, passion, and grit as an entreprenistaHow the coronavirus pandemic has impacted Jill's companyHow Motherly is diversifying their revenue streamsJill's diagnosis with multiple sclerosis, how she thrives as a mother and entrepreneur despite her chronic condition, and the importance of self-care and prioritizing yourselfTips for mothers and entrepreneurs to work from home effectively and efficientlyHow Jill developed a strong relationship with her co-founder, Liz, despite working remotelyJill's philosophy on building a brand with generational longevityJill's advice to new entreprenistas and what being an entreprenista means to her Our Favorite Quotes: “The most important thing is to be persistent and to really have that grit and that passion.” - Jill Koziol“When women and mothers thrive, that's how we have families that thrive, and that's how the world can ultimately thrive and be better. Women are really at the center of that.” - Jill Koziol“Brands are belief systems. You know that you've created a brand that has legs when you can clearly and consistently project a brand outward - but you know that you've arrived when others can reflect that brand out to you and take on ownership of it themselves.” - Jill Koziol Resources Mentioned: SakaraOura Ring Connect with Jill Koziol: MotherlyMotherly Shop - Use coupon code Jill10 to receive 10% off your first purchase!

Jill Koziol is the co-founder and CEO of Motherly, an online community, and website designed to provide mom-to-mom inspiration and expert advice to help mothers around the world learn proven tips and tricks to make motherhood more empowering and rewarding. She is also the former co-founder of HoneyBee Child, an upscale, mom-inspired brand offering baby and toddler products. Jill holds a Master's degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University, a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics from Towson University, and is certified in Infant and Maternal Health and Strategy and Customer Relationships. When she's not running her company, she can often be found spending time with her husband and two daughters or advocating for families, female founders, and helping others learn to thrive with Multiple Sclerosis. Jill joins us today to share the inspiration behind the Motherly platform and their efforts to embrace and inspire the ‘modern mother.' She shares how the company has grown to reach over 30-million monthly users and how they've stayed true to their vision of becoming the intersection of content, community, and commerce for modern mothers. We discuss the importance of staying authentic and building a community around your business. Jill discusses the challenges her company faced when raising venture capital and finding angel investors and the lessons she has learned along the way. She shares her story of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and how she has thrived in business and motherhood despite having a chronic disease. She also shares how she developed a strong relationship with her co-founder, Liz Tenety, despite living in different states as well as her philosophy on building a brand with generational longevity. “Success is a combination of persistence and passion.” - Jill Koziol This week on SocialFly's Entreprenista Podcast: The inspiration behind launching Motherly and their mission to be the intersection of content, community, and commerce for modern mothers worldwide Why they decided to build an audience before creating products Jill's secrets to successfully building a thriving community and the importance of leaning into authenticity The challenges Motherly faced when raising capital and finding investors The importance of persistence, passion, and grit as an entreprenista How the coronavirus pandemic has impacted Jill's company How Motherly is diversifying their revenue streams Jill's diagnosis with multiple sclerosis, how she thrives as a mother and entrepreneur despite her chronic condition, and the importance of self-care and prioritizing yourself Tips for mothers and entrepreneurs to work from home effectively and efficiently How Jill developed a strong relationship with her co-founder, Liz, despite working remotely Jill's philosophy on building a brand with generational longevity Jill's advice to new entreprenistas and what being an entreprenista means to her Our Favorite Quotes: “The most important thing is to be persistent and to really have that grit and that passion.” - Jill Koziol “When women and mothers thrive, that's how we have families that thrive, and that's how the world can ultimately thrive and be better. Women are really at the center of that.” - Jill Koziol “Brands are belief systems. You know that you've created a brand that has legs when you can clearly and consistently project a brand outward - but you know that you've arrived when others can reflect that brand out to you and take on ownership of it themselves.” - Jill Koziol Resources Mentioned: Sakara Oura Ring Connect with Jill Koziol: Motherly Motherly Shop - Use coupon code Jill10 to receive 10% off your first purchase! Motherly on LinkedIn Motherly on Instagram Motherly on Facebook Motherly on Twitter Jill Koziol on LinkedIn Jill Koziol on Instagram Say “Hello!” To DigiCards™  Are you ready to take your virtual team meetings to the next level? Are you tired of yelling “You're on mute!” at your computer screen and letting the important points you were trying to make get lost? If you're tired of leading unproductive, distraction-filled team meetings, then it's time for you to say “Hello!” to DigiCards. Each pack of virtual meeting cards include 20 color-coded professional cards designed to streamline your meeting communications while allowing each meeting to create an opportunity for collaboration and fun.   Say “Goodbye!” to waving your arms, being ignored, and frantically typing in the chat.   Start your next virtual meeting with DigiCards - the virtual meeting cards for entreprenistas.   To grab your deck of DigiCards and bring fun, engagement, and collaboration back into your team meetings, visit www.hellodigicards.com. Use the coupon code: Entreprenista10 to receive 10% off your first order.     Become An Entreprenista!   Thanks for tuning into this week's episode of The Entreprenista Podcast - the most fun business meeting for female founders, by female founders. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.   Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | GooglePlay   Be sure to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us reach more amazing female founders, like you.   Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and for more exclusive content, tips, and insight, join the Entreprenistas Facebook group and visit the SocialFly website.

In honoring Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, today’s topic is mother burnout. It’s something a lot of us moms feel, but we often don’t recognize it until it’s too late. Let’s learn more! Diana Spalding is Digital Education Editor at Motherly, along with being a certified nurse-midwife, pediatric nurse, and mother of three. She wrote The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama, which was just released. We’ll discuss what burnout means, why it’s important to pay attention, how to recognize the early signs, and what to do from there. Show Highlights: How Diana became interested in burnout The facts: 85% of moms don’t feel supported by society The “occupational phenomenon” of burnout, which is a diagnosable condition with real consequences Characteristics of burnout: fatigue, exhaustion, negativism, cynicism, and not feeling like you’re doing a good job Good mom, bad mom, and how we judge ourselves and each other Contributing factors to mother burnout How and when burnout begins Why parents don’t trust themselves, and how we can empower them How to recognize signs of burnout and be aware of your mental health The importance of reaching out for help and finding connection How certain factors related to the current pandemic contribute to burnout, like isolation, lack of support, and unreasonable demands How our culture teaches us to deal with uncomfortable feelings How our capacity for empathy and sympathy is stretched Long-term effects of chronic stress Diana’s book, a new resource with a holistic focus on mental health Resources: Motherly Instagram: Motherly Facebook: Motherly Media  The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey by Diana Spalding, Jill Koziol, and LIz Tenety  

#253 • Here's what you need to know when it comes to pregnancy, birth and Covid-19. Certified nurse-midwife, pediatric nurse, and mother of three, Diana Spalding talks us through these challenging times, including what expecting mothers need to know right now about their birthing plans (hospital, birthing center, or home birth). We always talk about how "It takes a village," so we also find out ways a mother can have a more connected experience after the baby arrives. Be sure to check out the first part of our series with Diana Spalding: "The Must-Have Mom Guide Right Now", available at atomicmoms.com and wherever you listen to podcasts.Our guest Diana Spalding is the Digital Education Editor at Motherly and the founder of Gathered Birth, a motherhood wellness center in Media, PA., as well as the author of THE MOTHERLY GUIDE TO BECOMING MAMA: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey along with Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety out April 14, 2020.X Ellie KnausShow Notes: https://www.atomicmoms.com/pregnancy-birth-and-mothering-during-covid-19-motherly-diana-spaldingAs always: subscribe, rate, and review! Your support for this independent pod never goes unnoticed!Subscribe + Listen on the Go: Apple Podcast | StitcherJoin our @atomicmoms Instagram, Facebook, and Facebook community.

#252 • Feeling isolated and claustrophobic? Our community is here to help. We're talking: boundary setting, the best way to say no to obligations when you're facing overwhelm, and how to find clarity when everything feels upside down. Certified nurse-midwife, pediatric nurse, and mother of three young children, Diana Spalding is the Digital Education Editor at Motherly and the founder of Gathered Birth, a motherhood wellness center in Media, PA., as well as the author of THE MOTHERLY GUIDE TO BECOMING MAMA: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey along with Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety out April 14, 2020.This is part one of a two-part series with our guest Diana Spalding. Tomorrow we will be releasing Part 2: Pregnancy, Birth, and the Fourth Trimester During Covid-19. Be sure to find it by subscribing to this podcast, finding us at atomicmoms.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts. X Ellie KnausShow Notes: https://www.atomicmoms.com/pregnancy-birth-and-mothering-during-covid-19-motherly-diana-spaldingAs always: subscribe, rate, and review! Your support for this independent pod never goes unnoticed!Subscribe + Listen on the Go: Apple Podcast | StitcherJoin our @atomicmoms Instagram, Facebook, and Facebook community.

Motherly CEO Jill Koziol admits that it was a tough pitch when she and her co-founder Liz Tenety first tried to get investors on-board in 2015. “We wanted to create a brand first and foremost,” Koziol told me. “We did not want to go and build a media company or a [direct-to-consumer] company or Facebook […]

Kara Richardson Whitely is an author, speaker, and three-time climber of Mount Kilimanjaro, who has spoken candidly about her struggles with binge eating. She opened up to Liz about motherhood, how she talks about body image with her children, the changing conversation around obesity, and her biggest adventure yet—a new movie about her life produced and starring This is Us star, Chrissy Metz.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Jennifer Bassett with support from Jordan Gass-Poore. Music by the Blue Dot sessions.

Host Liz Tenety kicks off Season 3 of the podcast with an interview with Kristen Bell—actress, singer, soon-to-be children’s author, mother of two, and Hello Bello founder. Kristen discusses co-parenting, self-care, and how there’s no such thing as other people’s kids. Kristen also talks about one of her most famous characters: Anna, from Frozen and Frozen II. Additionally, this season, we’ve invited our Motherly community to share their own stories—and following Liz’s discussion with Kristen, you’ll hear from a listener about how she co-parents with her partner.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Jennifer Bassett with support from Jordan Gass-Poore and Renata Sellitti. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our episode sponsor, Third Love.

Valerie Jarrett is the former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama and the longest-serving Senior Advisor to any U.S. President. Before coming to the White House, Valerie had hired a young Michelle Robinson to work with her in Chicago Mayor Richard Daly’s office back in 1991. Today, Valerie still works with the Obamas, serving as the Senior Advisor to the Obama Foundation, and works with Michelle on a nonprofit called "When We All Vote," whose aim is to spark conversation around our rights and responsibilities in shaping our democracy. She also has a new memoir out called, Finding My Voice: My Journey to the White House and the Path Forward.Beyond her life in public service, Valerie is first and foremost a mom to her only daughter, Laura. In this episode, Valerie chats with Liz about how becoming a mother changed the course of her career, raising Laura as a single working mom, as well as why she never wants any working mom to hide their motherhood identity.After their conversation, hear Ella Davis read her essay, “To all the single moms who feel the intensity of being the only parent—I see you” from Motherly’s website.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

After meeting in 2015 through a mutual friend, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin decided almost immediately to start a home organization business together. Today, The Home Edit’s more than 1.2 million followers on Instagram regularly covet their rainbow-colored images of organized closets, drawers, and pantries, and they have also organized the homes of celebrity moms like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Kardashian, Lauren Conrad, and Mindy Kaling. And this past March they published their first book, aptly called “The Home Edit”.In addition to being entrepreneurial organizers, both Clea and Joanna are also moms to two kids each, and we were lucky enough to nab them during their busy book tour to talk about staying organized as a mama.After their conversation, hear Raschael Ash read her essay, “True life: I'm going to stop apologizing for my messy house now” from Motherly’s website.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Country singer Jessie James Decker first came onto the scene in 2009 when she released her debut album, Jessie James. Since then, Jessie has released several more albums, had a hit reality TV series, “Eric & Jessie: Game On” co-starring her husband, NFL star Eric Decker, launched a clothing line called Kittenish, published a book, and is also at work on her very first cookbook. Amid all of this, Jessie is also the mother to three kids under 7 and has been very open with her fans about the joys and challenges of motherhood. We managed to catch her on-the-go to talk about how becoming a mom shifted her life’s focus, deepened her relationship with her husband, and how she keeps her head above water through it all.After their conversation, hear Colleen Temple read her essay, “True Life: Marriage is feeling lucky + annoyed all in the same day,” from Motherly’s website.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Many people remember Christy as the supermodel who dominated the fashion world in the 80s and 90s. But these days, Christy is becoming better known for her work on improving maternal health around the world. Her nonprofit, Every Mother Counts, which she founded in 2010, has been a leader in raising awareness of the issues with maternal health both in the U.S. and abroad. By partnering with grassroots organizations, providing grants and medical training, and pushing critical policies and legislation in the U.S., Every Mother Counts has had a profound impact on the lives of millions of women and their babies. In this episode, Christy talks with Liz about the story behind starting her organization, the state of maternal health both in the U.S. and abroad, and her own personal motherhood experience.Following their conversation is an essay from Jacqui Smith called, “I finally have the strength to talk about my traumatic birth,” from Motherly’s website.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Angela Duckworth is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and founder and CEO of the Character Lab, a nonprofit advancing the science and practice of character development in children.She is also the author of the New York Times bestseller “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” which talks about how the combination of passion and persistence is more important than talent when it comes to succeeding in life. Angela’s research and ideas have been groundbreaking in the areas of education and parenting, and in this episode, she and Liz talk about how we can instill our kids with grit, how she personally approaches this with her own daughters, and why even though she’s a psychology expert she herself is far from a perfect parent. Following their conversation is an essay from Katie Walsh called, “Raising hard-working children: How swim lessons taught us to persevere,” from Motherly’s website.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

If you were young in the early aughts, you probably remember Hilary from her role as the title character of the iconic Disney series, Lizzie McGuire. Today Hilary is better known for starring in another hit series, TV Land’s Younger, in which she plays ambitious young book editor Kelsey Peters. In addition to Hilary’s extensive acting and music career, in recent years she’s become well known for being outspoken about the joys and challenges of modern motherhood. She’s spoken publicly about her decision to have a home birth and to give up breastfeeding and has shared the admiration she holds for all the fellow moms to her 12.5 million Instagram followers.In this episode, Hilary chats with Liz about being a mom in the spotlight, why she wants to be a part of the larger conversation around motherhood, and how she manages to be the best mom she can be to her 7-year old son Luca, as well as her 8-month-old daughter Banks.After their conversation, hear Emily Glover read her essay, “A Mama’s Job Is Never Done,” — a selection from Motherly's first book, This Is Motherhood, available on Amazon and wherever books are sold. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

In 2010, Katia Beauchamp and her Harvard Business School classmate Hayley Barna started Birchbox without ever having even managed another person before. Today, Birchbox is an enormous enterprise and a true, recognizable leader in the beauty business. In addition to running her beauty empire, Katia is also the mother of four kids. And recently, Katia’s sharing more about how she uses meditation and mindfulness as a way to put work and family life challenges in perspective. She also has been vocal about changing the way that we talk about working motherhood, in her case, sharing why she thinks that becoming a mother has made her a much better CEO. In this episode, Liz and Katia talk about why she passionately believes that moms—and all parents—are an asset to a company (rather than a liability), and how she stays centered as a CEO and mom of four.After their conversation, hear another mom and CEO, Sarah Wells of Sarah Wells Bags, read her essay, “What ‘having it all’ means to me,” from Motherly’s website. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

LaTonya Yvette is a stylist, writer, and mother of two. In the spring of 2019 she published her first book, Woman of Color, which features essays about the trials and triumphs of her life—from racism, to motherhood and growing up as a woman of color in Brooklyn. She also writes about her life as a single mom on her blog, LaTonyaYvette.com. In this episode, LaTonya chats with Liz about being a person of color in the predominantly white world of bloggers, finding beauty in the every day and how fashion should be viewed as a form of self-care—especially for moms.After their conversation, hear Jessica Wimer read her essay, “Birth is Just the Beginning,” — a selection from Motherly's first book, This Is Motherhood, now available for pre-order on Amazon and wherever books are sold. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Elise Loehnen is the Chief Content Officer at Goop, and the well-known right-hand woman of Gwenyth Paltrow. Before coming to Goop, Elise also had a high-powered career in magazines, having worked at Conde Nast Traveler and Lucky. Today, Elise serves as a frequent go-to spokesperson for Goop, co-hosts the Goop podcast, and is a mother to her two sons, Max and Sam. In this episode, Liz chats with Elise about postpartum depletion, and what our healthcare system can do to better serve women before, during, and after pregnancy. Keep listening to hear Diana Spalding read her essay, “I Vow To Take Care Of Myself,” from Motherly's book, This Is Motherhood, now available on Amazon and wherever books are sold. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

"I wish I knew that it was normal to feel this way." —Jill Koziol When Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety were new moms, they felt alone, terrified, and overwhelmed by this new adventure. Five — soon to be six — kids later (two for Jill, three with a fourth on the way for Liz), and Liz and Jill are the co-founders of Motherly, a website, community, and brand for moms in all stages of parenthood. With Jill as CEO, Liz as Chief Digital Officer, and a work-from-home team of 40 spread across the United States, Motherly sees more than 20 million monthly views, and is home to an active, engaged community. On this episode, Jill and Liz reflect on what new motherhood looked like for them, what it means to be motherly, and what they found in their second annual "State of Motherhood" survey. Thank you to Sweaty Betty for sponsoring Motherhood Mondays on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to sweatybetty.com and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your purchase.     What you’ll get on this episode: Getting to know Jill and Liz (3:00) Why Motherly needed to exist (11:30) What were Jill and Liz like as new moms? (21:30) A look at the State of Motherhood survey — what were the surprises and validations? (24:30) “New-parent relationship tension stuff” (30:00) Why 85 percent of millennial moms don’t feel understood or supported by society — and what we can do with that information (45:00) What we mention on this episode: This is Motherhood State of Motherhood survey Whitney Port on The Motherly Podcast Simple Habit app Follow Motherly: Instagram @mother.ly Twitter @motherlymedia The Motherly Podcast This Is Motherhood Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

Reshma Saujani is the Founder & CEO of Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit working to close the gender gap in tech. She has been named on Fortune’s "World’s Greatest Leaders" list and Forbes’s "Most Powerful Women Changing the World" list and is nationally recognized as someone who is truly changing the technology landscape. In 2010 Reshma became the first Indian American woman to run for Congress but lost to the incumbent Democrat in her district. While the loss was devastating, she learned a lot through the experience of campaigning about the socialization of women and girls, which she writes about in her new book, Brave, Not Perfect. In this episode, Reshma chats with Liz about her own experience of being a mom to her son Shaan, how we can raise our girls to be risk-takers, and how we as mothers can unlearn the deeply ingrained perfectionism within so many of us.Then, keep listening to hear Haley Campbell, the owner and developer of Beluga Baby, read her essay, “To my daughter—I wish you confidence, courage + kindness” from Motherly’s website.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Surprise! We’re bringing you a special bonus episode in anticipation of the launch of season 2, featuring Motherly co-founders Liz Tenety and Jill Koziol. Listen as they describe their ambitious journey of starting Motherly as new moms themselves, and the struggles of launching a startup in the motherhood space.In this episode, Liz and Jill talk about advice for other women looking to launch their own startup, chat with their respective husbands on what they observed during the birth of Motherly, and Liz reveals the list of business names that Motherly could have been.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions.Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Melissa Hartwig Urban is the co-founder and CEO of the Whole30—an intensive 30-day dietary program designed to heal your digestive tract and end unhealthy cravings through whole, unprocessed foods. Today, the Whole30 has over 2 million followers across social media platforms and has impacted the lives of people around the world. In addition to being a busy CEO, Melissa is also a proud mom to her 5-year-old son. And last year, Melissa launched Whole Mamas, a community-inspired online roadmap to help women navigate the entire journey of motherhood, from a Whole30 perspective. In this episode, Liz and Melissa chat about becoming a single mom early into motherhood, expanding what we think about “self-care,” and rising kids with a healthy attitude towards food. Following their conversation, hear Sydney Hutt read her essay, “The Strength of a Single Mom,” — a selection from Motherly's first book, This Is Motherhood, now available for pre-order on Amazon and wherever books are sold. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Actress Caterina Scorsone is best-known for her role as the passionate and rebellious Dr. Amelia Shepherd on the iconic series, Grey’s Anatomy. Beyond her life on set, Caterina is also the mother to two girls, 6-year old Eliza and 2-year old Paloma. Paloma was born with Down syndrome—a chromosomal condition associated with intellectual and developmental delays. And since Paloma’s birth in 2016, Caterina has become a prominent voice on social media for raising awareness about the condition. In this episode, Caterina shares how she processed her daughter’s condition, and learned to embrace her daughter’s differences rather than view them as “disabilities”. After their conversation, hear Maria Rohan read her essay, “Parental Coping: A Child with a Disability in a Cold World,” from Motherly’s website.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Tiffany Dufu frequently states that her life’s work is advancing women and girls, and her resume is certainly good proof of that. She has worked to increase women’s representation in government by serving as president of The White House Project, was a founding member of Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In initiative, and most recently founded The Cru—a peer coaching service for women looking to jumpstart their careers.In 2017, Tiffany wrote “Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less” which is an inspiring part-memoir, part-manual about how after she became a mother, she learned to let go of outside expectations in order to achieve what was most important to her. The book has received high praise from numerous outlets including The New York Times Book Review, as well as from prominent feminists like Anne-Marie Slaughter and Gloria Steinem. In this episode, Liz and Tiffany talk about how Tiffany learned to “drop the ball” and define for herself what makes her a good mother, daughter, wife, and career woman.After their conversation, hear Denaye Barahona read her essay, “Less really is more: How to parent like a minimalist,” from her blog, Simple Families.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

If you’re a grandma (or about to become one), you are well aware that few joys in life can compete with being one of the lucky ladies in this very special club. However, motherhood itself can be fraught with doubts, stress, fears and a whole range of overwhelming feelings. And that’s where today’s guest comes in! Jill Koziol is the co-founder and CEO of Motherly, a modern lifestyle brand that redefines motherhood with all of its complexities for young mothers today. Jill is coauthor (with Motherly cofounder, Liz Tenety) of a fabulous new book. It’s called This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections + Practices and Jill joins us today to share all about it.  If your daughter or daughter-in-law is the mother of your grandchildren, this show will be especially meaningful. For sure, you won’t want to miss this one!

In 2009 Anne-Marie Slaughter landed what she has called her dream job—director of policy planning at the U.S. Department of State. But during that time, her two sons were experiencing a rough period of adolescence, and she found herself wanting to be home in New Jersey with them. So she left her dream job in government after just two years, and then wrote a powerful article for The Atlantic called “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All.” That article went on to become one of the most read articles in the history of the magazine and helped to reignite the conversation around gender equality.Today, Anne-Marie is still one of the most prominent political scientists out there, and in 2015 she published a widely-read book based on the response to her Atlantic article, titled, “Unfinished Business: Women, men, work and family.” In addition to being President and CEO of New America, she is also the mother of two sons.In this episode, Liz and Anne-Marie talk about the value of caregiving, the reasons why it has been so undervalued in our society, and what we can do to start changing these norms and push us towards equality.After their conversation, hear Jacqueline Monro Tapp read her essay, “Our Caregivers Are Lovegivers,” — a selection from Motherly's first book, This Is Motherhood, now available for pre-order on Amazon and wherever books are sold. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety are the founders of Motherly, a website and support network devoted to redefining modern motherhood. With Sounds True, they have created This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections + Practices. In this special edition of Insights at the Edge, Sounds True associate publisher Jaime Schwalb sits down with Jill and Liz to talk about how they originally formed Motherly and their desire to create a more positive approach to modern parenting. They talk about the importance of regular self-care practices for parents and why it really does take a village (even a digital one) to raise a child. Liz and Jill explain how each parent has their own skills and "superpowers," as well as how you can recognize them. Finally, Jaime, Jill, and Liz discuss the discipline and clear communication needed to effectively parent. (54 minutes)

Whitney Port rose to fame in 2006, co-starring on the hit reality TV series, “The Hills.” Since then, she’s had her own TV show, a fashion line, and most recently has become the Chief Brand Director of Bundle Organics—a company that makes snacks and drinks that help with fertility, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.In 2016, Whitney became pregnant with her first child, and shortly thereafter she and her husband began documenting their journey through parenthood through a YouTube series called “I Love My Baby, But…” The videos are candid, and Whitney is courageously open about sharing her parenting fumbles with her followers. In this episode, Whitney chats with Liz about learning to deal with mom guilt, and the surprising support she’s found from being an open book online. After their conversation, hear Juli Williams read her essay, “My Virtual Village is Real,” — a selection from Motherly's first book, This Is Motherhood, now available for pre-order on Amazon and wherever books are sold. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Nora McInerny is an author, podcaster, mother, and something of an expert at talking about both love and loss. In 2014, Nora suffered a miscarriage, lost her father, and then lost her husband to cancer, all in the span of six weeks. Since experiencing such incredible losses, Nora has done a ton to help encourage conversation about the difficult things things that people are often too afraid to talk about.In addition to hosting the podcast, Terrible, Thanks for Asking, running the non-profit Still Kickin’, and co-leading the group The Hot Young Widows Club, Nora has also written two books: It’s Okay To Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too) and most recently, No Happy Endings.In this episode, Nora chats with Liz about meeting her second husband, blending their families, and learning just how expansive love really is.Following their conversation, listen in as Motherly Brand Editor, Sara Goldstein reads her essay "Raising our kids together, separately" — a selection from Motherly's first book, This Is Motherhood, now available for pre-order on Amazon and wherever books are sold. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Senator Tammy Duckworth (Illinois) is one of the most prominent mothers in American government today. In 2014, at the age of 46, she gave birth to her first child, Abigail, and became one of only 10 women in history to give birth while serving in Congress. In 2018, she once again made headlines after giving birth to her second child, Maile, this time becoming the first U.S. Senator to give birth while in office. In 2018, for the first time in history, Senator Duckworth got the U.S. Senate to agree on a vote to allow babies onto the Senate floor, so that she—and others in the future—could breastfeed while partaking in important votes. And this past October, she successfully passed the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act.In addition to being a groundbreaking politician, a purple heart recipient and veteran of the Iraq War, Senator Duckworth is a powerful advocate for veterans and working families. Senator Duckworth spoke with Liz from the Senate offices in Washington DC, and chatted about how motherhood opened her eyes to the important policy changes needed to better serve working families, as well as her own difficult journey to motherhood. Stay tuned to hear the essay, "We still show up" from Motherly's first book, This is Motherhood—now available for pre-order on Amazon and wherever books are sold. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

The simultaneous passing of her grandmothers offered a pregnant woman a deeper understanding of life, love, and the divine path of our maternal DNA. Learn more at mother.ly

Hillary Frank is a veteran podcaster and renowned journalist, and her podcast, called “The Longest Shortest Time” is one of the most recognized parenting podcasts out there. It started as a way for Hillary to cope with her loneliness and struggles in her early weeks of motherhood, and has since grown into an immense collection of stories from parents in all sorts of circumstances. Since its debut in 2010, it has won numerous awards, and tons of critical acclaim, including being on the 50 Best Podcasts lists in both Time Magazine and The Atlantic.In this episode, Hillary and Liz chat about Hillary’s new book, “Weird Parenting Wins: Bathtub Dining, Family Screams, and Other Hacks from the Parenting Trenches,” as well as everything else she’s learned in her near-decade of listening to parents tell their stories.We'll also hear form Motherly contributor and Clinical Psychologist, Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco, as she reads from her essay, "Turns out, there are some things we can control as parents." Read more of her work here.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions.Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Katrina Scott, co-founder of the fitness empire Tone It Up, is a health inspiration to millions of women around the world. Since 2009, she has been teaching women how to get strong and feel their best through workout classes, videos, books, and social media posts to Tone It Up’s +1 million followers. In October of 2018, Katrina gave birth to her first child, and it gave her a completely new perspective on what a strong body looks like.Continuing to empower and inspire, Katrina talks to Liz in this episode about staying healthy throughout the motherhood journey and changing the way we talk about women’s postpartum bodies.Listen in as Motherly Stories Editor, Colleen Temple shares her personal essay, "The Day I Stopped Hiding My Postpartum Body From My Husband." Read her essay and more of Colleen's work on Motherly here. The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to our sponsor, Prudential.

Joy Cho was jobless and looking for work in a new city when she started her blog, Oh Joy! Today, that blog is the home base of her wildly successful design business, which partners with companies like Target, Banana Republic, and Anthropologie. Joy also holds the record for having the most followers on Pinterest and has twice been listed as one the “30 Most Influential People on the Internet” in Time Magazine.For our first episode of The Motherly Podcast, Joy chatted with Liz about growing her business while raising her two young girls, infusing her personal life with the creativity we know from her brand, and learning to stop comparing herself to other mothers.Then continue listening as one of Motherly’s editors, Rachel Gorton shares what she learned from watching her own mother juggle kids and career. Read her full essay on Motherly here.The Motherly Podcast is hosted by Liz Tenety and produced by Micaela Heck and Samantha Gattsek. Music by The Blue Dot Sessions.Thank you to our sponsor, Prudential

Join us as we talk to Liz Tenety, Co-Founder of Motherly and former Washington Post writer, on her college journey, where she discusses how she decided to transfer to her dream school, despite loving the school where she went to and how it has made all the difference. If the thought of not getting into your dream school or the idea of transferring scares you, this episode and Liz's uplifting journey is for you!