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Michelle Florendo — Starting Your Own Coaching Practice Apr 09, 2018

Show notes

#047 — Starting Your Own Coaching Practice

If you aren’t satisfied with the available options, Michelle Florendo suggests that you explore possibilities beyond the obvious.

Michelle was working as a management consultant, watching her colleagues make the difficult decision to sacrifice time with their children to continue a career they loved—or give up their careers to be present in their children’s lives. She realized that starting her own coaching practice would afford her more control and flexibility, but it was a risk.

Being risk-averse, Michelle gave herself a long runway and launched her firm long before she began the process of trying to get pregnant. But in her eyes, it was a bigger risk to do nothing. She had to find an avenue for getting the life and career she wanted.

Today, Michelle joins us to discuss her career arc, defining coaching as a profession and describing her transition to a private coaching practice. She explains her approach to decision-making, the distinction between the quality of a decision and its outcome, and the role of intuition in the decision-making process. I ask Michelle about her decision to become a parent and the choices she made around giving herself space to be present during her pregnancy. She speaks to the ‘silence of the first trimester,’ offering insight on the language we use to take fault for the parts of pregnancy and miscarriage we can’t actually control. Listen in for Michelle’s wisdom around choosing the narrative for any given situation and making decisions based on the information we have.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/047.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER
Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Hippo Give! Hippogive is a new app that donates your change by rounding up your everyday transactions to the nearest dollar and gives it to the charities and non-profits of your choosing.

If you’ve been wanting to donate to Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, or disaster relief you can use this app and it’s a piece of cake. All you need to do is create an account, choose your charity and then set a weekly donation cap. Head to HippoGive.com to sign up.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MICHELLE FLORENDO

Michelle Florendo is a Type-A management consultant and Fortune 500 brand marketer turned career coach. Michelle founded What If You Could in February of 2012, and she has become known for her analytical approach—employing a blend of decision engineering, design thinking and the lean startup method to help her clients craft fulfilling careers. Michelle has an MBA from UC Berkeley, and she was named to the 2015 FWN Global 100 list of most influential Filipinas in the world.

Michelle’s Website

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THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

Startup Pregnant

3 Essential Postpartum Lists — to Protect Your Time and Energy Apr 04, 2018

Show notes

#046 — 3 Essential Postpartum Lists

The first days and weeks after bringing home baby are tough. Postpartum You may seem all peaceful and serene to friends and family who stop by, but they don’t have the slightest idea just how overwhelmed you really are on the inside.

People want to help, but they don’t always know what to do. And it’s no fun for you as a new parent to explain your needs over and over again. That’s where the 3 Essential Postpartum Lists come in.

Today, I’m walking you through three simple documents that will protect your time and energy and communicate your boundaries and expectations. Listen in for insight on creating House Rules, How to Help, and Favorite Foods inventories and learn how to convey your need to refuel and recharge during the postpartum period.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/046.

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THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

Life Happens Apr 02, 2018

Show notes

#045 — Life Happens

Despite our best efforts to be prepared, life happens.

Case in point, I planned a trip to be there for my sister during her birth, but Baby was working on his own timeline and had yet to arrive at the end of my scheduled week in the Bay area.

Society claims to value flexibility and laud the ability to adjust on the fly, yet somehow when it comes to pregnancy and birth, we view it as an inconvenience. What if we learned to see the unpredictability of it all as an opportunity—to gather data, make projections and then pivot as necessary? What if we stopped trying to maintain such a tight grip on control and developed the skills necessary to plan for things that don’t have specificity?

Today, I’m celebrating the honest conversations we’ve had in my first 25 interviews on Startup Pregnant and sharing my insight on pregnancy and childbirth—being in the thick of it again with my sister this past month. Listen in for my take on the illusion of control, our lack of candor around the hard work of pregnancy and childbirth, the significance of taking the time to recover, and the dedication required to breastfeed your baby.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/045.

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

Habit Shift — Mini Episode Mar 28, 2018

Show notes

#044 — How We Break (And Build) Our Habits

So you’ve gotten off track and you want to make a change—in your eating habits, your exercise regime, or maybe implementing a daily practice like journaling. Sweeping transformation is rarely effective and beating yourself up for a lack of discipline seldom results in positive change. What CAN you do to shift your habits and get back on the path you want?

In Episode 43, Lily Nichols talked about real food and nutrition, and the conversation reminded me of a strategy I use to shift my eating habits when I’ve strayed from my usual healthy routine. Today, I’m sharing the method I use to get un-stuck when the Dunkin’ Donuts downstairs has become a little too convenient.

I explain how making one small, positive change can shift your mindset and help you slowly shift your habits. Listen in for insight around applying this tactic to other areas of your life and ‘sneaking in the side door’ of positive change.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/044.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

Real Food, Prenatal Nutrition and Mindful Eating — with Lily Nichols, RDN Mar 26, 2018

Show notes

#043 — Real Food for Pregnancy

‘What I like to do is reverse-engineer a prenatal diet from the context of getting most of—if not all of—your nutrients from the food itself.’

The problem with conventional policy and food guidelines? They simply don’t reflect science. In fact, the current recommendations were designed for men and then adjusted mathematically for a smaller frame—and then modified again to account for fetal growth.

Registered Dietician and Nutritionist Lily Nichols is familiar with the science, having reviewed 934 studies for her newly-released book, Real Food for Pregnancy. And she believes that we need a more holistic approach to nutrition, an approach that includes mindful eating and a focus on pairing carbohydrates with fat and protein to acquire the nutrients necessary for fetal development from our food.

Today, Lily joins me to share her path to becoming a dietician, explaining how she established her practice and what inspired her to become an author. She discusses how her own pregnancy affected her work and her current ‘pieced together’ childcare plan. Lily speaks to the fact that conventional nutrition policy doesn’t reflect science and offers her advice around nutrition during pregnancy. I ask her about postpartum nutrient needs and special considerations for pregnant women who exercise a great deal. Listen in for insight into Lily’s writing process and her emphasis on the value of mindful eating.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/043.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Aeroflow Breastpumps. They are dedicated to making the hassle of getting your breast pump a little bit easier—actually, a lot easier! Head to www.aeroflowbreastpumps.com/startup to have them help you qualify for a free breast pump through insurance.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LILY NICHOLS

Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietician and Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator with a passion for evidence-based nutrition. Her work draws from the current scientific literature as well as the wisdom of traditional cultures, and her expertise in prenatal nutrition makes her a well-respected consultant and speaker in the field. Her first bestseller, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, has helped tens of thousands of women manage the condition and influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily’s new release, Real Food for Pregnancy, is #1 in the Pregnancy and Childbirth category on Amazon.

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All The Single Ladies — Mini Episode Mar 21, 2018

Show notes

#042 — All the Single Ladies

With choice comes revolutionary change.

As women have experienced an ‘expansion of options’ in terms of marriage and family, there are a growing number of single ladies. As of 2009, less than 50% of American women were married, and the median age for a first marriage had risen from 22 to 27. Also, women are increasingly opting to have children outside of marriage.

What are the implications of this revolution?

In Episode 41, Toi Smith spoke about her challenges in developing a support system as the single mother of four boys. Today, I’m exploring the ideas in Rebecca Traister’s book, All the Single Ladies, and the opportunities for entrepreneurs to serve parents and single mothers by addressing their unmet needs.

I discuss CoAbode, a platform founded on the idea that ‘two single mothers raising children together can achieve more than one going it alone,’ and the role of single women in history. Listen in and learn how growing choice has caused the seismic shift in what family looks like in our country and the opportunity this provides for entrepreneurs inspired to help build for the future.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/042.

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THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

Toi Smith — Designing Your Vision, Mission and Values Mar 19, 2018

Show notes

#041 — Designing Your Vision, Mission and Values

Few of us would set off on a road trip without a GPS. Yet many online entrepreneurs hang up their shingle without a clear idea of what they stand for or who they want to serve.

After a couple of consults with potential clients who weren’t the right fit, Toi Smith designed and published a vision, mission and set of values that clarify her intentions, eliminate the noise, and distinguish the clients she is interested in partnering. Through her service, Smith Virtual Business Partners, Toi seeks to uplift, support and liberate women, helping them stand tall in the belief that they are powerful beyond measure—in business and all other aspects of life.

Today, Toi sits down with me to explain her role as an online business manager and how she came to do this work. She walks us through some of her values, from the idea that financial security is non-negotiable to her aim in fortifying women to flourish. I ask Toi about the parallels between birthing a child and a business, and she shares her personal challenges around becoming an entrepreneur as the single mother of four boys. Listen in for Toi’s insight on the differences among single moms, the changing landscape of the American family, and developing actionable strategies for resilience.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/041.
EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Acuity Scheduling. Acuity functions as an online assistant, helping to organize your schedule and collect client information. Take advantage of Acuity’s 45-day free trial for Startup Pregnant listeners at https://acuityscheduling.com/startuppregnant.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOI SMITH

Toi Smith is a creator, a mother, and a holistic online business manager who helps women and people who identify as women grow their online businesses. In her ten-year corporate career, Toi learned to develop systems and streamline processes, and now she is leveraging those skills to help female small and microbusiness owners do their best work and reap the highest financial rewards possible.

Smith Virtual Business Partners

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THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

4 Ways to Get Better at Saying No — Mini Episode Mar 14, 2018

Show notes

#040 — 4 Ways to Get Better at Saying No

There is power in the word NO, just ask any toddler!

But if you’re anything like me, the disease to please often leads to a default YES—or at least a MAYBE.

Problem is, that results in total overwhelm and resentment. No one wants a life controlled by the whims and desires of others. So how do you put yourself back in the driver’s seat and get better at saying NO?

In Episode 39, Val Geisler shared her framework for wielding the power of NO. Today, I’m taking a closer look at this idea, offering my four best strategies for turning down requests gracefully and using language with a built-in NO.

I explain the benefits of getting clear on what you want, avoiding empty promises, and creating boundaries in your own life. Listen in for insight on the social conditioning that makes us fear NO and learn how earn respect by being more strategic with your time.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/040.

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THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

Val Geisler — Hiring People Who Are the Right Fit Mar 12, 2018

Show notes

#039 — Hiring Team Members (and Clients) Who Are the Right Fit

How can you be sure you’re hiring the right person? Or that you really want to work with a particular client, for that matter?

Val Geisler has learned the hard way, by giving contractors a chance when they didn’t honor her time and taking on clients who raised a red flag early on. And while there is no magic formula for identifying who is the right fit and who isn’t, Val can tell you what to look out for—and when to listen to your gut.

Val has a wealth of experience, having worked in corporate America, the startup world, and as an entrepreneur with her own VA and project management businesses. Today, she shares how all of these endeavors have culminated in her current venture, a co-working space for parents with onsite childcare. She offers insight around hiring and training a team, explaining how her first pregnancy facilitated her transition from freelance VA to online business manager. Val walks us through her experience with the startup ConvertKit, discussing how maternity leave looks different as an employee versus entrepreneur. Listen in for Val’s take on why new moms need to know that their work matters and how motherhood and entrepreneurship have changed her for the better.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/039.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT VAL GEISLER

Val is a digital strategist who specializes in email copywriting and email marketing strategy. She uses email to generate leads and close more monthly recurring revenue for her clients. Val is also the author of The Dinner Party Strategy, a guide to designing a superior customer service experience, and her work has been featured on Meet Edgar, Teachable, ConvertKit, Fast Company and The Huffington Post. Currently, Val is developing The Hive, a coworking space with onsite childcare for freelancers and entrepreneurs.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Book Notes: How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

The Three Phases of the Writing Process — Mini Episode Mar 07, 2018

Show notes

#038 — Breaking Down The Writing Process

The pressure to be perfect can stop us from putting our ideas on paper—or screen, as the case may be. But if you follow Tara Gentile’s wisdom and reframe your writing as the beginning of a conversation that invites others weigh in, that can be a game-changer.

Welcome to another of my experiments on the Startup Pregnant Podcast: For the month of March, I’ll be sharing a mini-episode that follows each of my long-form interviews, doing a deep dive into one of the topics that came up in the previous episode and offering listeners a useful strategy or actionable application of the guest’s advice.

In Episode 37, Tara Gentile described her ‘call and response’ approach to the writing process. Today, I’m digging into this concept, explaining how collaboration makes my writing better.

I also walk through the three phases of the writing process, describing how each piece requires a different part of my brain and why it’s useful to separate ideation, execution and editing. Listen in as I break down the writing process, offering tips and tools to help you start a conversation of your own.

FULL SHOW NOTES:
Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/038.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

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