The Mom Shuffle

In 2009, Danielle Meadows-Stinnett launched her business from a 500 sq. ft. apartment with a toddler and a baby on the way. Since then, Octane Design Studios in Lexington, Kentucky has worked on more than 100 brands and Danielle has become a force in both marketing and community connection. Her popular podcast and frequent hashtag, #MoreThanGraphics has become an operating principle in both her life and business, and her advocacy for leveraging education to meet people where they are and empower them with the tools to take on DIY marketing broadens access for everyone. We're talking about how she's doing it all today as a gamified mom of four boys!

Seeking industry experience and saying yes to new opportunities led Suzanne Price to a corporate role researching the toxic chemicals used in consumer products. When her social circle started moving into a new season of life, Suzanne saw an opportunity to leverage her industry knowledge for the greater good and decided to open Sprout San Francisco, a boutique that specializes in baby products that are natural, organic, and free from toxins. Today, Suzanne and her team research every offering so you can be assured that the products being sourced and sold will help you build a healthier home. With non-toxic products more in-demand than ever, Suzanne has scaled her business to four Bay Area locations, a Salt Lake City showroom, and a fulfillment center for the Sprout web store, and she isn't close to done.  She's on a mission to make it easier for parents to shop for healthy products for their children, and she's doing all the legwork, so we don't have to. Listen in and learn along!

From handling key functions involving pay and benefits, to bringing the fun, and crafting the culture of an organization, experts like Michelle Donohue, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Administrative Operations at HMEA, have an opportunity to make an impact on every employee. As we move towards a post-pandemic world and navigate new work models and changing colleague values, how does it all come together both professionally and personally?

Kim Smith of A Chance to Dance believes that "shifting perspective doesn't always require you to use words to tell the most beautiful stories", and we couldn't agree more! Kim is leveraging the power of dance, in Charlotte and beyond, to build programs that break down barriers to allow everyone an opportunity to express themselves and share their artistic gifts. From the foundation she launched to pay forward a gift given to her daughter, to identifying the need for dance programs that welcomed students of all special talents, Kim continues to be a force for good.

We're off to join the executive ranks today as we visit with Valerie Hillow Gates, Executive Director of the American Heart Association for the Greater Cleveland Region. Valerie tells us about the important work her team is doing and how the nearly 100-year-old organization is making inroads in addressing health equity. She shares her personal passion for the mission of the AHA and the story of her journey with the organization from a new college grad to a seasoned leader. She offers an insightful take on pandemic-era response and company culture and shares some guidance for those seeking jobs today. Of course, we also talk about mom life, get an adorable airport story, and think about what it feels like to pause to simmer in the sweet spots.

We are off to Springdale, Arkansas where Judith Yáñez is elevating parent power at her nonprofit organization, RootED Northwest Arkansas. Aiming to raise every parent's voice in their child's education, RootED draws on Judith's lived experience and honors her family legacy by walking alongside families navigating vulnerability and advocating for the best for their students. She'll get you thinking about what it takes to maximize the potential of your student as we discuss the complexities of education.

We venture to Denver, Colorado to speak with Marisol Solarte-Erlacher of Marisol Solarte-Erlacher & Associates about overcoming trauma and building resilience. We're talking about everything from the challenges and misconceptions surrounding high-achievers to how we can address trauma and work to build resilience. We learn about EMDR, a therapy we are hearing much more about in the last few years, and consider some of the challenges the industry is facing in increasing access to culturally-competent care.