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A children’s book can look simple on the shelf, but the road to getting it published is anything but. I’m joined by Lynsey Martin, a working mom of two and the author of How to Get an Alligator Out of the Bathtub, to talk about what it really takes to bring a story to life while balancing a full-time job, family routines, and the daily swirl of responsibilities that so many of us carry. We get into the publishing process from the inside: how Lynsey found the right local publisher, why she refuses to obsess over competition in the children’s book market, and the tough choices that come with edits and “marketability.” She also shares what collaboration looks like with an illustrator, how personal moments with her kids shaped the characters, and why quality and genuine passion show up on the page in a way readers can feel. Then the conversation widens into the deeper themes behind the book: kindness as a core value, building a supportive village, and learning to quiet your inner critic. Lynsey offers practical, grounded strategies for creativity and work-life balance, including her “20 minutes a day” habit, her take on social media as a time trap, and her favorite resilience reminder for hard seasons: be a buffalo and walk into the storm to get through it faster. If you’re a parent, a writer, or simply trying to turn a dream into a plan, you’ll leave with mindset shifts you can use immediately. Listen now, share this with a friend who needs encouragement, and please subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Six months into stepping into the CEO seat, Rachel Johnson gets a breast cancer diagnosis that would shake anyone’s confidence. Instead of hiding it or letting it define her, she chooses a different path: lead with clear communication, stay grounded in purpose, and use every ounce of agency she can find. Our conversation follows that real-time collision between career pressure, personal fear, and the daily responsibility of running a member-owned electric cooperative. We talk about what trust actually looks like when the stakes are high: consistency, honesty, and teammates who will speak truth to power. Rachel shares how she designs her day for deep work and people work, why she moved leadership into the middle of the building to stay accessible, and how “walk-alongside” support beats well-meaning questions that add more mental load. We also dig into how leaders can avoid defensiveness so teams keep bringing the hard truths. If you care about modern leadership, utility leadership, or the future of the cooperative business model, you’ll love the practical parts too: measuring service through a Member Loyalty Index, staying visible where people get information now, and preventing burnout with non-negotiable health habits. Rachel even explains how walking 1,000 miles during treatment and building a custom AI tool helped her stay steady without spiraling into worst-case stories. Subscribe, share this with a leader who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find Stacked Keys Podcast. What’s one moment in your life when choosing agency changed everything? Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Fear has a way of pretending it’s protecting us while it quietly shrinks our lives. We sit down with a bold panel of women to ask one question that hits fast and lingers: why do you choose to do the scary thing? What follows is an honest, human conversation about courage, motherhood, reinvention, and the moment you realise growth rarely feels safe. Jessica Haberman shares what it’s like to keep showing up as an emergency nurse while raising a family and running a small farm, and why fear management becomes a daily skill. Shellie Phelps talks about big transitions like divorce, quitting a stable job, and building a new career, plus the surprising ways fear can masquerade as “practical advice” from people who mean well. Krystal Casey brings hard-earned clarity from surviving unimaginable situations, navigating widowhood as a single mom of five, and learning to choose faith over fear when there is no perfect roadmap. Along the way, we dig into tools you can actually use: breathing to regulate your nervous system, journaling to name the real fear under the noise, breaking huge goals into bite-sized steps, and spotting when anxiety comes out sideways as anger or control, especially in parenting. We also explore intuition, self-worth, and why focusing on what you want (not what you fear) can change your decisions and your direction. If you’re standing at the edge of a hard choice, press play and take the next step with us. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Episode 243 --  Krystal Casey -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stacked-keys-podcast/id1478690459?i=1000739210904 Episode 209 -- Shellie Phelps -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stacked-keys-podcast/id1478690459?i=1000694525535 Episode 199 -- Jessica Haberman -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stacked-keys-podcast/id1478690459?i=1000683537292 Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Someone tells you your child has autism and then shrugs like the story is already written. Theresa Lyons refused to accept that. After her daughter’s diagnosis, she did what a lot of parents wish they had the time, training, or energy to do: she went straight to the research, lived in PubMed, and started translating autism science into real decisions families can actually use. We talk about what the autism diagnosis process really feels like from the inside: the long waits, the stacks of reports, and the gut-punch cycle of red flags that drag on for months. Theresa shares early signs parents can watch for, why so much advice floating around is inefficient or flat-out wrong, and how the lack of “core symptom” medications has accidentally created a knowledge gap where many doctors are not getting cutting-edge autism research in a usable form. The conversation also goes beyond data and into real life. We unpack grief as the loss of expectations, the challenge of stepping out of crisis mode once things finally improve, and how autism meltdowns can be traumatic for kids and parents alike. Theresa explains why you cannot always stop a meltdown in the moment, and why looking at nervous system overwhelm, sleep, nutrition, and basic health foundations can change the trajectory over time. Go follow https://awetism.net Dr. Theresa Lyons is the founder and CEO of Navigating AWEtism, a groundbreaking platform dedicated to turning autism complexity into clarity. If you want smart, compassionate guidance grounded in evidence-based autism research, press play. Then subscribe, share this with a parent who needs it, and leave us a review on iTunes to help more people find the show. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

You can love writing and still want to quit every week. That tension sits at the center of this Stacked Keys Podcast panel, where we get real about writing and publishing when you’re already juggling a full life. Join a group of women with completely different genres and the same stubborn drive: Tori Stackhouse, a law enforcement officer drafting a fantasy escape as an outlet; Tori Applegate, building a fantasy horror series that unexpectedly holds her religious trauma; Ashley Wall, a children’s book author and publisher at Mom Bear Books creating imaginative adventures that empower kids; and Dr Samra Zafar, bestselling author of A Good Wife and Unconditional, blending lived experience with mental health science and healing tools. We talk about the unglamorous parts of the author journey: rewriting chapters five times, switching point of view midstream, building believable characters, and learning to accept feedback without losing your voice. Samra shares what it takes to write about real people ethically, how publishers and legal teams handle fact-checking, and why “vulnerability requires boundaries.” Ashley brings the publisher perspective, including how editing can transform a manuscript and why you have to write for the readers who will love your book, not for everyone. You’ll also hear practical, modern strategies for follow-through: managing creative energy, pacing a series, staying patient with a long publishing timeline, and even using AI tools to spot clunky sentences and continuity issues in complex worldbuilding. If you’re trying to figure out how to write a book, how to publish it, or how to keep going after rejection, this conversation is a steady push forward. Subscribe for more conversations with women building bold lives, share this with a friend who’s stuck on page one, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show. What’s the one thing you need to finish your book? Go listen to each of these women on their original guest spots on Stacked Keys Podcast. You are in for a treat!!! Tori Stackhouse Episode 125 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stacked-keys-podcast/id1478690459?i=1000553276748 Tori Applegate Episode 103  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stacked-keys-podcast/id1478690459?i=1000525674762 Samar Zafar  52 Episode https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stacked-keys-podcast/id1478690459?i=1000477700491 Ashley Wall Episode 258 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stacked-keys-podcast/id1478690459?i=1000764159931 Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Danielle Frank spent six years in entertainment publicity at Miramax — red carpets, film festivals, the New York media world. At 29, she left it, without another job lined up, because the work no longer felt right. That decision led her into the wine and spirits industry, where she's now spent 21 years, the last 12 with Moët Hennessy. The conversation centers on a different turning point, though: the end of an engagement, and with it, the path to motherhood she'd expected to be on. Rather than treating that as a loss, she began writing — and thirteen years later, that writing became her book, A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting, a rhyming, satirical guide that pairs parenting lessons with wine terminology. "Life isn't one yellow brick road to Oz. There's not one path. What matters is what you take from the one you were on." The episode moves through her career shift, the long road to publishing the book, how she built a lasting network across coasts, and how she thinks about setbacks — not as unfair, but as pivots. She also talks about what's next: a second book pairing whiskey with dog breeds, and a children's book about cultural acceptance she's hoping to place with a publisher. Connect with Danielle Frank: Book: A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting — available on Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.comWebsite: DanielleFrankAuthor.comInstagram: @createagreatstoryMusic "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Your kid is brilliant, your schedule is chaos, and your old creative self feels like a distant memory, so what do you do with that gap? We sit down with Jamie McMahon, a realist artist known for soulful dog portraits, a former teacher and dance coach, and now a full-time stay-at-home mom of three, to get honest about identity, purpose, and making meaningful work in the margins of real life.  We talk about the invisible labor of motherhood and why it can feel like you’ve worked all day with nothing to “show” for it, then shift into the tools that help Jamie stay grounded: trusting her gut, running decisions through faith, and learning discernment when parenting advice is coming at you from every angle. Jamie also shares what led her to homeschool her oldest, and how a flexible, curiosity-led approach can protect a bright child’s love of learning while strengthening the parent-child relationship.  Then we go deeper on ambition and resilience. Jamie shares her own turning point between wishing and doing, the discipline that took her from struggling with health to dancing at the highest levels, and how she’s rebuilding healthy rhythms now with goalposts like dance reunions. Finally, she walks us through creating her children’s book Handy Pandas, from rhyming story concept to teaching herself digital illustration, and why creative problem solving is a life skill for kids and adults. If you’ve been craving community, creative momentum, or a way to feel like yourself again, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a parent or creative friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Why I've Been Missing If you've noticed the quiet, I wanted to explain it myself instead of leaving it unsaid. This past season has been full of the sweetest joy — becoming a Granny, soaking up every giggle and new discovery. I'm still right in the middle of it, and I wouldn't trade a minute. And then, in almost the same breath, life shifted. My husband was diagnosed with cancer, and everything overnight started changing. What had been a season of joy became a season that also held appointments, decisions, and a trip to MD Anderson. Walking through that with him became the center of my world, and everything else, including this space, had to wait. I'm happy to say he's on the road to recovery now, and I don't take that lightly. What I didn't expect was how much I'd realize the stories of other women — their strength, their honesty, and their wisdom is crucial to be heard . All I've experienced reminded me why these conversations matter so much to me in the first place. So I'm back, with interviews I recorded before everything shifted, ready to share them with you over the next few weeks. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for still being here. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Fifteen kids in the blended-family mix, a cross-country move, a second marriage, and a mission that refuses to stay quiet. I’m talking with author, speaker, and coach Eileen Noyes about what it actually takes to rebuild your life when faith has been used to control, when your home feels heavy, and when you know you cannot stay stuck on the sidelines of your own calling.  Eileen shares her path from the pro-athlete world and life as an NFL wife to the painful turn of a first marriage shaped by harmful beliefs that stripped women of voice and value. We talk about what grit looks like at rock bottom, how isolation keeps you trapped, and why letting trusted people in can be the first real step toward healing. If you’ve been searching for hope around spiritual abuse recovery, Christian women’s identity, or how to protect your kids while you’re falling apart inside, this conversation offers both honesty and direction.  We also dig into a surprisingly practical framework she calls “cleaning house” that applies to your physical space, your body, your relationships, and your spiritual life: address the mess, create order and function, then maintain. We get into early-morning routines, rewiring your mind toward gratitude, resisting comparison, and building a life and business that fits your family instead of crushing it.  If something here encourages you, subscribe, share this with a friend who needs steady hope, and leave a review so more women can find the show. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

A lot of people say they want to write a children’s book. Ashley Wall actually did it and then kept going until it became a business. She joins us to talk about the surprising path from middle school math teacher to stay-at-home mom to children’s book author and co-founder of Mama Bear Books, and what it takes to build a real author brand without losing yourself in the process.  We get practical about self-publishing and indie publishing: the learning curve, the mistakes that cost money, and the mindset shift that saved her time and stress. Ashley shares one rule we keep coming back to: “invest, don’t spend.” We talk about choosing quality over shortcuts, why long-term thinking matters if you want your books in print in 20 years, and how mentorship and reputable partners protect your standards.  Then we move into confidence, leadership, and parenting. Ashley explains how specific praise and purpose build confidence, how she learned to delegate instead of burning out, and how boundaries turn a dream into a sustainable work life balance. We also dig into screen time, social media, and the daily choices that shape kids’ attention spans and imagination, especially when you’re around other families who do it differently.  If you care about raising curious, confident kids and building a creative business with integrity, this conversation will give you both encouragement and concrete next steps. Subscribe, share this with a parent or aspiring author, and leave us a review so more people can find Stacked Keys. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

A kid can go from “safe” to “silent emergency” in seconds and Sarah Quillen has seen enough pools, parties, and parenting blind spots to say it out loud. Sarah is a beloved local swim teacher known as “Miss Sarah”, and she joins me to explain how she teaches real swimming skills fast, why she makes kids go under early, and what her two-week swim boot camp looks like when the goal is confidence plus safety. If you’ve been searching for swim lessons for toddlers, water safety for kids, or drowning prevention advice that doesn’t sugar-coat reality, you’ll get practical takeaways you can use right away.  We also go beyond the pool. Sarah shares why social media makes her brain hurt, how even “safe” apps can feed kids toxic messaging through targeted ads, and what a training-wheels approach looks like when you know your child will eventually be online. We talk about honest parenting conversations, including an age-appropriate sex talk story that is both hilarious and deeply useful, plus how to build trust so kids come to you instead of hiding things.  The thread through it all is being real: modelling empathy, owning your mistakes, apologising to your kids, and following through on boundaries even when it is hard. Sarah’s blunt motto about kindness lands because it is not performative, it shows up in how she lives, how she helps people, and how she tries to break old patterns in her own home. If you want a conversation that feels like a friend telling the truth while still giving you tools, press play.  If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a parent who needs encouragement, and leave us a review on iTunes so more people can find Stacked Keys Podcast. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Tea can be a beverage, sure. It can also be a doorway back to yourself. I’m joined by Sunny Dillard, a watercolor teacher, poet, and tea curator whose work blends Persian tea culture, slow living, and creative practice into something that feels both grounded and brave. We talk about how her love of tea began in childhood with a grandmother who used herbal blends as medicine and as a way to offer real attention. From there, Sunny shares the story behind her name, the symbolism of the sun in Persian mythology and Sufi tradition, and why identity can be a living choice rather than a label you inherit. We also get into her definition of strength, shaped by Iranian women and the daily practice of resilience, hope, and kindness even when the world feels chaotic. A big theme is intuition as “witnessing what you know” a decision-making tool that joins reasoning with the heart. Sunny connects that to creativity as survival: watercolor painting, literature, poetry, journaling, music, and tea rituals as practical tools for mental health, community, and self-expression. If you’ve ever thought art is “only for talented people,” or you’ve felt fear and self-doubt freeze you in place, you’ll love how she teaches students to show up, stay with the discomfort, and leave surprised by what they made. If you want watercolor classes, tea blending workshops, or a gentler approach to mindfulness and slow living, this conversation will give you a clear starting point. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

A jiu jitsu hobby can change your fitness, your confidence, and your friend group, but buying a pro grappling franchise is a different level of commitment. We’re sitting down with Lauren Barone, the force behind the Philadelphia Phenoms and the first female franchise owner in the Pro Grappling Federation (PGF), to talk about what it really looks like to build a team inside a fast-growing submission grappling league. Lauren takes us from her early love of martial arts to finding Brazilian jiu jitsu as an adult, then jumping into the deep end of combat sports entrepreneurship. We get into why the PGF rule set pushes constant action, how the league is expanding, and what “success” means when you’re building something season by season instead of chasing overnight wins. She also shares the part most people never see: wearing nine or ten hats across marketing, contracts, sponsorships, budgeting, and athlete communication while still showing up calm on camera. We also talk athlete support and leadership in practical terms, from covering six weeks of Airbnb housing and rental cars to team meals, uniforms, gym access, and recovery perks. And because this is combat sports, we don’t skip the hard stuff: fear, uncertainty, injuries, and how you protect your heart while still caring deeply about the people you’re backing. If you’ve been curious about the PGF, women in sports leadership, or the business side of jiu jitsu, hit play and come hang with us. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves grappling, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

You can do everything “right” and still feel miserable at work, and that gap is trying to tell you something. Christine Tilton joins us to talk about what happens when a successful corporate path stops fitting, and why the bravest career move can be admitting you need something deeper than a title. Christine’s story runs through journalism, decades in HR and talent acquisition, and a pivot into career coaching and career transition services. We unpack how COVID changed work culture, from remote work expectations to the Great Resignation, the Great Reshuffle, and today’s wave of layoffs that has created a brutally competitive job market. If you’re job searching, we get practical about what’s different now: how to frame your value in interviews, why networking matters more than blind applications, and how to stay future-focused without losing yourself. We also go beyond career advice into the parts people rarely say out loud: self-worth after job loss, parenting through a fast and scary world, and why “holding space” can be the most powerful support you offer someone in grief. Christine explains why she’s building “Beginnings” around both career coaching and grief coaching, and how authenticity is not a vibe, it’s a decision you practice. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs steadier ground, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s one small step you’re willing to take this week? Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

What if the skincare that finally calmed your child’s eczema became the spark for a purpose-led business? That’s Sarah Brittelle's story—an honest, ground-up journey from a kitchen shea butter blend to a community-backed organic skincare line that keeps integrity front and center. We talk about the real work behind “clean beauty”: sourcing ingredients you can stand behind, pricing with empathy, and surviving the unglamorous parts like melt-prone shipping, insulated boxes, and dry ice experiments that saved the product but smudged the labels. We also dive into the human side of building something that lasts. Sarah shares how motherhood, grief, and growth shaped her pace—and why embracing seasons, not hustle, keeps her business healthy. She explains why she created a discovery kit that teaches a usable routine, how her designer husband’s clear labels improve outcomes, and why she draws firm lines around products that belong in labs or require FDA approval. Saying no to sunscreen or mascara isn’t a limitation; it’s a promise to protect safety, quality, and trust. Community is the quiet engine here. Made Mercantile in downtown Woodstock gives Sarah workspace, a storefront, and live customer feedback, while Gather and Bloom expands her reach to a different audience. That maker ecosystem fuels better packaging, smarter pricing, and moral support when the calendar tilts into holiday chaos. Through it all, Sarah’s compass stays steady: help people, use truly organic inputs, keep prices fair, and build a brand her daughters can be proud of. If you care about real organic skincare, small-batch craftsmanship, and the mindset that outlasts trends, you’ll feel right at home. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s hunting for honest skincare, and leave a review with one takeaway you’ll apply this week. Your support helps more makers with integrity get heard. Music "STOMP" used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff