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You raised your hand to help with your husband's career change — and somewhere along the way, you became the one running everything. What you didn't expect? You actually fell in love with the work. If you've ever stumbled into something you never planned and realized it fits you better than the career you chose on purpose, this conversation will hit close to home. Lisa Cole is a registered nurse of 20 years who got her real estate license to support her husband's pivot into real estate. Four years later, she's doing 90% of the business. This conversation covers what it actually looks like to juggle two careers, the behind-the-scenes reality of real estate that most of us never see, and the honest truth about work-life balance when you're raising four boys, working with your spouse, and building a business on no sleep and managed chaos. ABOUT THE GUEST: Lisa Cole is a wife, mom of four boys, and co-founder of The Cole Home Team with her husband Neil. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, they serve buyers and sellers across the Twin Cities metro, northern Minnesota, and western Wisconsin areas. Lisa is navigating a deliberate transition from full-time healthcare to entrepreneurship. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [00:02] How Lisa went from getting licensed "to help" her husband to running 90% of their real estate business[00:04] What it actually looks like to juggle two careers — nursing shifts plus real estate showings, nights, and weekends[00:07] The behind-the-scenes mental load of real estate that clients never see[00:15] What it’s really like to start a business with your spouse — and why 50/50 isn’t always the goal[00:21] How Lisa’s family supports the juggle — and what it costs (sleep, cleanliness, and personal time)[00:27] Why Lisa is choosing to slow down after years of survival mode — and what finally shifted[00:30] Practical advice for starting in real estate in your late 30s: training, brokerage choice, and leveraging your existing network[00:36] Financial realities of a dual-career household: benefits, retirement, and treating real estate income as bonus money[00:43] Lisa’s rapid round: mom hacks, screen time rules, dream home GUEST OFFER: Listener offer: Mention Her Intentional Reset for $1,000 off closing costs with The Cole Home Team HOW TO CONNECT WITH GUEST: Instagram: @thecolehometeamInstagram (personal): @realtorLisaColeFacebook: The Cole Home TeamText Lisa directly: 1 (651) 428-9402 RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: AION weighted vest — code MOLLY10 for 10% off, HSA/FSA eligible: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest HER INTENTIONAL RESET CONTACT INFO: Website + email sign up: https://www.herintentionalreset.comWatch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@herintentionalreset-podcastFollow + listen everywhere: https://linktr.ee/molly_HIRInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 SUPPORT THE SHOW: If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset — no pressure, just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. MUSIC CREDIT: Music from Uppbeat (free for creators): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward · License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who’ve actually lived it. This women’s empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30’s, 40s, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that’s a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they’d known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other’s best guides and teachers. It’s never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

You've built a solid business, but the old way of getting found on Google is quietly disappearing — and if your website isn't speaking a language AI can find, your competitors are already winning customers you never knew existed. Most business owners have no idea this shift has already happened. Vivienne Wagner, founder and CEO of Houndstooth Media Group, bootstrapped her digital marketing agency from a divorce-era blogging hobby into a 16-person team, and now specializes in helping business owners get found by AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude, not just Google. In this episode, she breaks down exactly what's changed and the zero-technical-skill steps any business owner can take today. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN [00:03] Vivienne's career pivot story before Houndstooth Media — from a divorce-era pottery business to a public administration and PR degree, and how those “unrelated” chapters quietly built her foundation as a digital marketing entrepreneur[00:06] How saying yes to one ghostwriting favor for a friend accidentally launched a marketing agency — and the mindset shift from “one-time project” to “this is a business”[00:07] The marketing lesson from her pre-agency PR and public affairs career that still drives every strategy she builds: “nobody is searching for the cure, they're searching for the symptom”[00:13] AI search basics: why the shift from Google SEO to AI search matters right now for entrepreneurs, business owners, and side hustlers — and what's at risk for your revenue if you don't adapt[00:16] Entrepreneurship lessons on building a business around your personal core values — why she hires and fires on integrity, loyalty, kindness, thankfulness, and humor, and how “the freedom to say no” became her most profitable business decision[00:29] AI search vs. Google search, explained through her librarian-vs.-detective analogy — why understanding how your customers use AI is becoming essential for any business or side hustle, and the real difference between ranking on Google and getting recommended by ChatGPT or Claude[00:38] The zero-technical-skill steps you can take today to audit whether your own website clearly communicates who you are, what you do, and who you serve[00:44] Financial considerations for entrepreneurs — her approach to paying yourself first, pricing your services without racing to the bottom, and planning for retirement and long-term financial goals as a business owner RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST Vivienne's free AI Visibility Webinar: https://houndstooth-media-group.webinargeek.com/aio-webinar-get-your-business-found?cst=her-intentional-reset HOW TO CONNECT WITH GUEST Website: https://houndstoothmediagroup.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houndstoothmediagroup/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivienne-wagner/Email: [email protected] CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: Aion Link: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vestCode MOLLY10 — 10% off, stackable, HSA/FSA eligible HER INTENTIONAL RESET CONTACT INFO Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.comWatch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@herintentionalreset-podcastFollow + listen everywhere: https://linktr.ee/molly_HIRInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset — no pressure, just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from Uppbeat (free for creators): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward · License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Kerry Keenan and Jill Schoenecker built their nursing careers around hospice care — right up until their health system sold the program to a for-profit company. They had two options: stay and keep doing work that no longer felt like theirs, or walk away. Between them, they'd tried a version of each, and neither stuck. Then a colleague said it out loud: “You can start your own business. How hard could it be?” So they did — sketching out a third option from scratch on a whiteboard in Jill's living room, built around one guiding idea from day one: “we don't want to be the biggest, we want to be the best.” For any woman in her 40s or 50s facing a career change that doesn't sit right anymore, this episode shows there's a path beyond staying or walking away. About the Guests Kerry Keenan and Jill Schoenecker are the co-founders of Beyond Hospice, a nonprofit hospice program and division of Episcopal Homes, serving the greater Twin Cities area in Minnesota through both community-based hospice care and The Pillars, its residential hospice home. Kerry Keenan, RN, MA, is co-founder and Executive Director of Beyond Hospice. Her nursing career spans 31 years, 25 of them in hospice care, including 12 years in academia as faculty and director at Century College. Kerry has presented locally and nationally, served as a surveyor for NLNAC, and currently serves on the Practice and Standards Committee for MNHPC and as a consultant for the Minnesota State Board of Nursing. She began her career as a nursing assistant before earning her LPN, ADN, and BSN from the College of St. Catherine's, and later her MA in nursing education from Bethel University. Jill Schoenecker, RN, BSN, PHN, BA, certified CHAP leader, is co-founder and Director of Clinical Operations at Beyond Hospice. She brings over 20 years of nursing experience to the role, having started her career in acute care before transitioning to hospice, where she's spent the past four years in nursing leadership. Jill holds a BA in sociology, with a minor in psychology, from the University of Minnesota, and a BSN from St. Catherine University. Outside the clinical side, she's dedicated countless hours to community service through Dorothy Day Center, Open Arms, People Serving People, and Sharing and Caring Hands. What You Will Learn [05:48] How a living room meeting — a whiteboard, five colleagues, and a shared frustration — became the starting point for Beyond Hospice [10:44] Why they partnered with Episcopal Homes instead of going fully independent, and what a bank actually asked for as collateral on a million-dollar loan [11:24] How Beyond Hospice stepped in to save The Pillars, a residential hospice home, from closing for good [26:37] The moment a colleague's off-hand comment turned frustration into an actual plan to start their own hospice program [39:53] The industry rating system that measures whether a hospice program is actually delivering quality care — and how Beyond Hospice scored on it [46:52] The financial reality that surprised them most: why it took over a year to receive their first Medicare reimbursement payment [50:17] What's next for Beyond Hospice as the program continues to grow Guest Links Website: www.beyondhospicemn.org Connect with Sponsor: Aion Weighted vests — code MOLLY10 for 10% off, stackable, HSA/FSA eligible. Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest Connect with HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Every doctor told Brittany Gieske the exhaustion, the stubborn weight, and the symptoms with no clear cause were just "normal" postpartum life. She didn't believe it — so she found the answers doctors never tested for, then walked away from a ten-year corporate career to make sure other women didn't have to go looking alone. Brittany is a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner (FDN-P) and founder of The Metabolic Method, where she helps women get past the hormone, metabolism, and gut-health roadblocks that "eat less, move more" can't fix. In this conversation, she walks through what functional weight loss actually looks like, how she tested it on herself before building a business around it, and the financial and family trade-offs of leaving corporate to do it full-time. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [03:34] Why a stable, well-paying decade at Oracle wasn't enough to keep Brittany from chasing her own health answers[06:31] The postpartum symptoms her doctors dismissed as "normal" — and why she went back to school instead of accepting that[24:13] What functional weight loss actually means, and why calories-in/calories-out breaks down for women over 30[30:11] How to tell the difference between a hormone disorder and normal perimenopause symptoms[42:49] The hiring advice from her business coach that she thought was "nuts" — and why it changed everything HOW TO CONNECT WITH GUEST Instagram: @ BalancedbyBrittanyFree Weight Loss Audit: HereThe Metabolic Method: HereFree consult for 1:1 Coaching Inquiries: Book here HER INTENTIONAL RESET CONTACT INFO Website / email list: herintentionalreset.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION Listener promotion: 10% off with code MOLLY10, stackable with AION's current sale. HSA/FSA eligible. Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

You're good at your job, you're juggling everything, and somewhere underneath all of it there's a quiet question you haven't answered yet: what do I actually want to do next? The problem isn't that you don't know how to work hard — it's that no one ever taught you how to listen to yourself. ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This week is a replay of one of our favorite conversations as we wrap up our first Her Intentional Reset Experience: The Artist's Way Creative Cluster. Molly shares how The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron kept showing up in her life right when she needed it — and why that's not as mystical as it sounds. Then she talks with Calleen De Oliveira, who used this exact book in her 40s to leave a 25-year advertising career, go to nursing school, and build a life she is proud of. What came out of those morning pages surprised even Calleen — and it went far beyond a career change. Plus: Molly shares how to join the next Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist's Way Creative Cluster, starting the week of October 5th. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [02:40] The three-day sequence that convinced Molly this book was worth paying attention to — and the neuroscience that explains why it happened [08:18] What The Artist's Way actually is — and why it's not just for people who want to paint [14:11] What morning pages did for Calleen that nothing else could: nursing school, sobriety, and a marriage she almost lost [20:26] What a real Creative Cluster looks like — Calleen's group of eight women stayed together for a decade [25:40] The right mindset to bring into this 12-week practice (and what Calleen says to anyone who doesn't want to commit) [33:33] How to join the next Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist's Way Creative Cluster, starting October 5th RESOURCES: "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron: https://a.co/d/09E1ps0J "The Right to Write" by Julia Cameron | https://amzn.to/49wcc5i Julia Cameron 12-Week Virtual Guide — available to HIRE: The Artist's Way Creative Cluster participants only. PODCAST REFERENCES: Her Intentional Reset Experience (HIRE): The Artist's Way Creative Cluster Join our private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/herintentionalresetexperience Register for weekly Zoom meetings: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/S33ThawJTsyLfEMjEDgl7Q Website: https://herintentionalreset.com/community/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 LOGISTICS: Her Intentional Reset Experience (HIRE) \Week 1 starts October 5th, 2026 – Week 12 the week of December 21st, 2026 Weekly virtual meetings, Wednesdays at noonCome when you can. No pressure, no perfect attendance, no guilt. If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

There is a moment when something finally feels like you — not the version that carpools and manages spreadsheets, but the version that has been waiting. Marissa found hers in a color drape. She didn't blow up her life — she built a new one, slowly, intentionally, one client at a time, and she's here to show you exactly how she did it. ABOUT THIS REPLAY: This is an encore of Marissa's episode, with a fresh update on where Marissa is now. ABOUT MARISSA RAY: Marissa Ray went from dental office manager and self-described introvert to House of Colour franchise owner with a waitlist and a TV segment — not by quitting her life overnight, but by saying yes to one small thing that brought her joy and following it with intention. She built a thriving business from a converted storage room — one client at a time — while raising three daughters and navigating an adult ADHD diagnosis. Marissa is a curator of confidence, a mentor to fellow consultants, and living proof that building slow and building intentionally is not a weakness — it's the strategy. This conversation is a masterclass in building a part-time side gig into a full-time career pivot without burning down the life you already have. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [02:30] How Marissa reclaimed her identity and sense of self — and how that single spark became a career [27:00] What intentional, slow-build growth actually looks like — the real timeline, trade-offs, and mindset behind turning a part-time side gig into a full-time business [45:00] How an adult ADHD diagnosis reframed everything about the way Marissa runs her business — and why self-awareness is a superpower, not a setback [01:01:00] How to learn to sell without feeling salesy — and why believing in your own value is the skill that unlocks everything else [01:08:00] The Profit First method in practice: how Marissa pays herself first, gives intentionally, and builds a business that funds the life she actually wants UPDATE FROM MARISSA: Since our recording, Marissa is looking to grow her team. If you're interested in learning about a meaningful career with opportunities for personal and professional growth under the leadership of Minnesota's top House of Colour franchise owner, reach out with questions. Learn more about becoming a stylist: https://www.houseofcolour.com/become-a-stylist GUEST OFFER: If you're interested in finding your own colors and style, book an appointment. Come see Marissa or find a consultant near you — there may be other stylists in your area. View all House of Colour stylists: https://www.houseofcolour.com/find-consultant And if you think this could be a career fit for you, reach out. GUEST RESOURCES Books: "Profit First" by Mike Michalowicz — The small business financial system Marissa uses to pay herself first and manage cash flow intentionally "The Total Money Makeover" / Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey — The debt-free philosophy behind Marissa's family money decisions and college savings strategy "When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing" by Daniel Pink — The book that changed how Marissa structures her entire workday and week around energy peaks and lulls "Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Shelby Van Pelt — Marissa's favorite recent fiction read "It Sounds Like Love" by Ashley Poston — A romcom Marissa says stuck with her long after the last page Podcasts: The Lazy Genius Podcast by Kendra Adachi — Marissa's life-changing recommendation, and the source of the infamous "Change Your Life Chicken" recipe GUEST LINKS: Marissa Ray, House of Colour SW Minneapolis Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houseofcolour.minneapolis.sw Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseofcolour.minneapolis.sw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/houseofcolour-minneapolis-sw/ Website: https://www.houseofcolour.com/stylists/marissa-ray-southwest-minneapolis-minnesota Find a consultant near you: https://www.houseofcolour.com/find-consultant CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION Listener promotion: 10% off with code MOLLY10, stackable with AION's current sale. HSA/FSA eligible. Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Ruby wrote her first book on a dare — an accountant who'd never wanted to write, plotting a love story in her head at the kitchen table. Four books, a number-one release, and an Audible deal later, she'll tell you she still can't believe she did it. What she won't say upfront: she wrote the book that hit number one while going through breast cancer treatment — and did it anyway. ABOUT THIS REPLAY: This is an encore of one of our early episodes, with bonus content and a fresh update from Ruby added. After the cold open you'll hear a quick housekeeping note from Molly, and at the end we've added extended bonus conversation plus a summer catch-up on where Ruby is now. ABOUT THE GUEST: Ruby Raynes lives a double life — accountant by day, romance author by night. Under her pen name she writes the Love in Ink series: low-angst, high-spice MM romance that has built a devoted and growing readership. In four years she's published four books, landed an Audible deal, and watched every release go further than the one before. She wrote her third book, Jasper — the one that went to number one — while undergoing treatment for stage 3C triple-negative breast cancer. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, daughter, and a whole zoo of animals. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [03:10] The offhand comment from a friend that turned a lifelong reader into a first-time writer [04:57] Why MM romance freed her from a battle she'd been having with herself every time she read [08:14] The deliberate choice behind the book's setting — and the quiet safety signal woven through the story [10:18] Why she publishes under a pen name, and what "Ruby Raynes" has come to mean to her [11:26] The writing schedule of a full-time accountant: late nights, early mornings, 500 words a day [12:26] The full indie pipeline — alpha, beta, editor, proofreader, ARC — and what she got wrong the first time [14:26] How Kindle Unlimited actually pays, and why she's staying in it for now [16:23] Landing the Audible deal — getting ghosted, then getting the yes [20:12] Writing Jasper through chemo, and why that book became her lifeline [24:33] The one-to-three-percent outcome that left her cancer-free [31:37] Can indie writing replace a day job? Ruby's honest math on back catalog and margins [32:34] Hiring, firing, and finding the assistant who let her write, fight, and still be there for her family [38:11] What she hopes her daughter takes from watching all of this [41:23] Release-day nerves, imposter syndrome, and why it gets harder, not easier BONUS CONTENT IN THIS REPLAY: [52:24] A closer look at self-publishing on Amazon KDP — and why it costs nothing to start [54:01] Paperbacks, cover design, and why buying direct from an author's website matters [55:15] The Audible process and landing her dream narrators [57:05] The real-life friends who show up as characters — including a true story that made it into Jasper [59:32] A first tease of her Christmas novella UPDATE FROM RUBY (Summer): Molly reconnected with Ruby — in person! — this summer. Ruby's reconstructive surgery this past April went well and she's mostly healed. She attended RomantiCon with her best friend and extended the trip with a vacation in Provincetown. All four Love in Ink books are now available on Audible. And she's just done the cover reveal for her upcoming Christmas story — preorder link and blurb below. COMING SOON FROM RUBY — "Beautiful Mile" Release date: November 10, 2025. Preorder now — paperback available on Amazon or Ruby's website. Preorder: https://books2read.com/BMile-sm About "Beautiful Mile" A standalone holiday romance. When a wrecked car and a Minnesota blizzard strand a city guy two days before Christmas, the only shelter for miles is a cabin owned by a grumpy, fiercely attractive lumberjack who lives in the woods for the quiet — and now has an unexpected houseguest. Snowed in, sharing one broken couch, two people from completely different worlds discover the spark between them runs a lot warmer than the storm outside. Expect a dramatic first meeting, plenty of heat and humor, and all the warmth you want from a Christmas story. GUEST LINKS: Ruby Raynes Website: https://www.rubyraynes.com Series: Love in Ink — Finn, Jackson, Jasper, Dom (book five on the way) Available on Amazon, Audible, and https://www.rubyraynes.com (illustrated covers, book boxes, and more) CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION Listener promotion: 10% off with code MOLLY10, stackable with AION's current sale. HSA/FSA eligible. Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Until I Saw You by Diana Romaine Heated Rivalry (Ruby's happy-place watch) If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. Note: This episode discusses a cancer diagnosis and treatment. If any of this is close to home for you, take care while listening. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Returning to work after a career break? Here's what stay-at-home moms get told: the years home don't count, you'll come back at a lower title, and you should take whatever salary is offered. Leah Tilstra rejected all three — and walked back into engineering at Abbott with a senior title and a sign-on bonus after twelve years raising four kids. How did she pull it off? She refused the apologetic part-time re-entry, used one old work relationship to land the right R&D team at Abbott, and walked into salary negotiations with a clear number and the willingness to be told no. The mantra she carries into every high-stakes room: "They didn't know me yesterday, but they'll remember me tomorrow." 🎧 A NOTE ON THIS EPISODE: This is a replay of Leah's original conversation — with a brand-new life-and-career update from Leah at the very end. Stick around after the interview for where things stand now, on both the family and career fronts. ABOUT THE GUEST: Leah Tilstra is a mechanical engineer and senior R&D engineer at Abbott, working on artificial heart valves in the TAVI space. Early in her career, she climbed quickly through medical device roles at Abbott, Zimmer Spine, and Boston Scientific, then made the intentional decision to step away for twelve years to raise her four children and support her family's move from Texas to Minnesota. During her career pause, she didn't just stay at home — Leah ran a nonprofit preschool, built a sewing business, coached middle school athletes, and led a moms' community group. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [00:14:59] The pharmacy wake-up moment that pushed Leah from "testing the waters" to returning to work full-time [00:22:18] The networking move — an old cube neighbor spotted in an org chart — that helped a stay-at-home mom return to engineering after a 12-year break [00:38:03] How to negotiate salary and a sign-on bonus after a long career pause — even when the company offers less [00:40:34] The one-line confidence script she repeats before any high-stakes room or interview [00:27:46] The "Shit My Wife Does" Google Doc that names the mental load every mom is carrying [00:54:53] Life update: dropping her oldest at the Air Force Academy, and a hard-won promotion to staff engineer GUEST LINKS Instagram: @illegallyblondie — https://www.instagram.com/illegallyblondie/ Facebook: @illegallyblond — https://www.facebook.com/illegallyblond LinkedIn: Leah Tilstra — https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-tilstra/ CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION AION weighted vests — HSA/FSA eligible. 10% off with code MOLLY10 — stackable with AION's current sale. https://aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: @herintentionalreset.co — https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: Her Intentional Reset — https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Six months in, Molly has a lot to celebrate — real connections she never expected and a podcast she taught herself from nothing that landed in the top 10% globally within three weeks. But being proud of something you built is exactly why you protect it. So this update is about what comes next: slowing down on purpose, and building a show — and a life — that she can actually sustain. ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In her second solo check-in, Molly shares one joy and one thing she's proud of, then gets honest about what's next for the show. She's taking August off to actually rest — the nervous-system reset she keeps hearing her guests describe but hasn't given herself — and moving to twice-a-month episodes when she returns, because the person she's becoming chooses quality over quantity. She closes with her favorite exercise from The Artist's Way: picturing yourself at 80, looking back on what you did after 50. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [00:43] The greatest joy of the whole thing — real connection over superficial small talk, and reconnecting with people she hadn't spoken to in 20 years [03:01] What she's proud of: interviewing is only 20% of the work, and she knew nothing about podcasting in January 2026 [04:05] Why rest became the priority — and the Meghan Johnson line about a full summer to rewire her nervous system that stuck with her [06:04] The August plan: a break from new episodes and a very budget-friendly family vacation [06:50] Why she's moving to two episodes a month — choosing sustainability and presence over powering through [08:09] The new rhythm: August break with favorite replays, a September 1st update, and something exciting tied to October [08:38] The Artist's Way exercise she returns to when doubt creeps in — describing yourself at 80, and what she's added about her kids CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION Workout vests: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest Listener promotion: 10% off with code MOLLY10 (stackable on the current summer sale for workout vests; HSA/FSA eligible) CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron: https://a.co/d/09E1ps0J Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist's Way Creative Cluster: https://www.facebook.com/groups/herintentionalresetexperience Ep. 16 — Molly's six-month recap Ep. 20 — Meghan Johnson If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

A midlife career change she didn’t initially choose. Meghan spent years as the operations leader who had to deliver the layoff news — and she cried the first time she did it. Then, a few waves later, it was her. She handed over her badge in a parking lot, took a summer to stop bracing, and picked up a substitute teaching license just to have somewhere to be. A year later she’s halfway through a Master’s of Teaching, and about 95% sure this is her second act. Which, if we're honest, is about as sure as any of us get. ABOUT THE GUEST Meghan Johnson is a connector, planner, learner, sports lover, and recovering corporate dropout. After nearly 20 years in corporate America — including almost a decade in health insurance operations, leading organizations of 400+ people — an unexpected layoff prompted a career pivot she didn’t see coming. With a marketing degree and an MBA already on her resume, she’s back in school in her early 40s pursuing a Master’s of Teaching and a K-6 elementary license, with four young kids at home. She works as a building substitute at her kids’ elementary school and is aiming for long-term sub roles rather than her own classroom. Her story is a candid look at leaving corporate and building a second act career — the money math, the identity shift, and what career reinvention actually costs. KEY TAKEAWAYS You don't have to be sure to start. Meghan enrolled in a teaching program at 50/50 — because waiting for certainty only put her further behind.Rest is a strategy, not a delay. She took a full summer before job hunting, and only started looking once the stress had actually left her body.A "just for now" job can become the answer. Substitute teaching started as something to do. It became the career.Keep the risk small and the door open. A few thousand a semester, quittable at any point — that's what made the leap possible.Your value isn't your title. The hardest part wasn't the money. It was scrolling past LinkedIn promotions and letting go of who she used to be. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN [03:31] What the health insurance culture actually rewards — and why “do more with less” wore her down [05:00] Climbing the ladder as a new mom, when nobody else in the room looked like her [08:20] The first time she thought about leaving — and the real estate license she got halfway through [11:30] When her values stopped matching the work: the loopholes she could use, and most people can’t [15:00] Delivering layoffs vs. receiving one — the badge, the parking lot, and the anger that lingered [18:30] How she and her husband explained the layoff to their kids without scaring them [21:20] Why she gave herself a full summer to rest before job hunting — and the logistics nobody warns you about [26:00] Why staying home full-time wasn’t the answer — and what a midlife career pivot actually required [28:30] Getting a short-call sub license in Minnesota: what it actually takes [31:20] The long-term first grade role she said yes to before she felt ready [34:30] Why she enrolled in a teaching program before she was sure — and why it was a low-risk bet [39:00] The retired teacher’s comment that made her think: maybe I am good at this [42:30] Why she’s targeting long-term sub roles instead of her own classroom [44:00] The hardest part: LinkedIn promotions, imposter syndrome, and detaching value from title [51:50] Which corporate skills transferred straight into a classroom — and which didn’t [54:40] The money conversation: severance, fixed expenses, and the real financial trade-offs of career reinvention [56:20] Benefits, the teacher retirement account, and what improved [58:30] What the whole experience taught her about trusting her gut earlier [01:00:20] Rapid Round: first grade chaos, the laundry hack (and 25 cents a pair for socks), You’ve Got Mail, and the mantra: you’re never going to have more time than you do right now IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER Midlife career change after a layoff · career pivot for women in their 40s and 50s · leaving corporate healthcare · going back to school in midlife · substitute teaching as a career path · career reinvention and second act careers · the financial realities of a midlife career pivot GUEST LINKS: MEGHAN JOHNSON LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-mccann-johnson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megthemcjohnson/ CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest Listener promotion: 10% off with code MOLLY10 — stackable with current Aion promotions. HSA/FSA eligible. CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist’s Way Creative Cluster: https://www.facebook.com/groups/herintentionalresetexperience RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Minnesota short-call substitute teaching license: https://mn.gov/pelsb/assets/Application%20for%20a%20Short-call%20Substitute%202026%20POST_tcm1113-743847.pdf If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Cindy spent 35 years in skincare and loved every bit of it — the thriving practice, the clients who felt like family. Then perimenopause hit, every test came back normal, and a doctor told her "it's too late for you" and wrote a prescription for antidepressants. What happened next wasn't a breakdown. It was an Indeed search, a midlife career change into an accelerated nursing degree in her 50s, and a new mission: making sure no woman gets dismissed the way she was. ABOUT THE GUEST: Cindy Ravn is a registered nurse and public health nurse providing reproductive and sexual health care at Planned Parenthood, while still running the nurse-led medical aesthetics practice she built over a decade in the Twin Cities. After her own perimenopause symptoms were dismissed, she trained as a menopause doula, then made a career pivot in her 50s, going back to school to become an RN — funding nursing school with her skincare practice and graduating cum laude. She starts nurse practitioner school this fall, with her sights set on women's health, and is building The Pause Project, a series of educational talks on menopause, sexual health, skin, and osteoporosis prevention. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [08:16] The post-COVID symptoms no test could explain — and why she knew it wasn't "just her" [09:57] The five words from her doctor that still sting — and how that dismissal became the catalyst for everything [13:32] The Indeed search that turned a menopause doula certificate into a nursing career [15:17] How her skincare practice paid for nursing school — no debt, and a built-in social life during the hardest years [25:31] The honest reality of an accelerated nursing program in your 50s: the confidence she "probably shouldn't have had," the tears, and the professor who wouldn't let her quit [30:28] Perimenopause misconceptions: why it can start at 35, why it's "puberty in reverse," and the symptoms nobody warns you about [50:34] The financial trade-offs: mission over paycheck, benefits math, and why she and her husband restructured who earns what CONNECT WITH CINDY RAVN Website: https://www.cindyravn.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindyravn/ Facebook: Cindy Ravn Skin and Health —https://www.facebook.com/estheticrefinery RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Menopause Society — provider finder by zip code: https://menopause.org Dr. Kelly Casperson — You Are Not Broken podcast: https://kellycaspersonmd.com/you-are-not-broken-podcast/ You Are Not Broken: Stop "Should-ing" All Over Your Sex Life by Dr. Kelly Casperson: https://amzn.to/4fpdKjD The New Menopause by Dr. Mary Claire Haver: https://amzn.to/4gOiIZG The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter: https://amzn.to/4hkDjEX Brain Food / The XX Brain / The Menopause Brain by Dr. Lisa Mosconi: https://www.lisamosconi.com/the-menopause-brain Dr. Vonda Wright — exercise and bone health: https://www.drvondawright.com/pages/meet-dr-vonda-wright Alloy: https://www.myalloy.com CONNECT WITH MOLLY & HER INTENTIONAL RESET Website: https://herintentionalreset.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 SUPPORT THE SHOW If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from Uppbeat (free for creators) https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in.

Larissa Loden never wanted to be an entrepreneur. She grew up watching her family's small business run on feast or famine and swore she'd never recreate that chaos — so she became an art teacher instead. Then her assistant principal handed her the permission slip that changed everything. A decade after that career pivot, she runs a multimillion-dollar jewelry brand — and the question she now says every woman rethinking her career should ask herself came from her own coach: is your business building you, or draining you? ABOUT THE GUEST: Larissa Loden is the founder and creative force behind Larissa Loden, a bold St. Paul-based jewelry and accessories brand. It started with a simple idea: you can look good, feel good, and do good all at the same time. Her midlife career change story is teaching art in Minneapolis to a handmade side hustle to a multimillion-dollar brand with a loyal community, national recognition — and over $150,000 donated to organizations aligned with her values. Beyond the brand, Larissa is an iPEC-certified coach, Substack writer, and speaker who helps entrepreneurs redefine success and build a second act that supports creativity, joy, and real life instead of burnout. Her story is a masterclass in career reinvention for women who want to build something of their own without blowing up the life that's working. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [03:59] Why she swore she'd never be an entrepreneur — and how eight years of teaching art turned into a jewelry business anyway [10:07] The one sentence from her assistant principal that became her permission slip for a full career transition: "You can always come back to teaching" [14:28] The "land of the shoulds" — how following everyone else's playbook made her start to hate the business she built [21:34] Losing 70% of revenue overnight in the pandemic, refusing to lay anyone off, and the Quarantine Craft Club pivot that turned e-commerce into her bread and butter [26:18] How she decides where the brand's 5% give-back goes — and why every organization gets vetted through Charity Navigator [32:46] The calm CEO playbook: no Shopify or Slack on her phone, no meetings before noon, and why "the more white noise I give myself, the better leader I am" [34:20] The coach's question every woman navigating a midlife career change should sit with — "Is your business building you or draining you?" — and what it means that you are the driver of your life [35:41] Redefining what success means to you: right-sizing the business, letting go of scaling, and watching it grow organically anyway [40:51] How The Artist's Way and morning pages became her daily non-negotiable — and her advice for pushing through the week 8–10 wobble GUEST LINKS: Larissa Loden Website: https://www.larissaloden.com Instagram (brand): https://www.instagram.com/larissaloden Instagram (founder): https://www.instagram.com/itsmelarissaloden/ Substack — The Unfucking: https://substack.com/@larissaloden?utm_source=top_search CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist's Way Creative Cluster: https://www.facebook.com/groups/herintentionalresetexperience RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron: https://a.co/d/09E1ps0J Walking in This World by Julia Cameron: https://amzn.to/4bBR0eY Hell Yeah or No: What's Worth Doing by Derek Sivers: https://amzn.to/4vZnqrZ How to Live by Derek Sivers: https://amzn.to/4fvIhNL If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in.

Sonja Nesse got into fashion — the industry she'd dreamed about since she was 16. Then she saw the inside: the waste, the conditions, the clothes made to last two washes. It conflicted with everything she valued. Instead of walking away, she carved out the work that brings her joy and built Neranese, a sustainable small-batch label made in Los Angeles that puts people and planet first. ABOUT THE GUEST: Sonja Nesse is the founder and designer of Neranese, a small-batch clothing line made in Los Angeles from low-impact and deadstock materials. She trained at UW-Madison and Fashion Institute of Technology, started her career designing for Simply Vera Vera Wang, and earned a Masters Degree in Design Management from Pratt Institute in New York City. Today she runs Neranese alongside a full-time design role and freelance brand consulting — while raising three girls, including twins. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [02:57] How creative reinforcement at home — and practical parents — turned a 16-year-old's sketches into a career plan [08:15] The morning of the 2008 crash: watching 75% of her company get laid off in a single day [15:11] The waste she couldn't unsee: 300 yards of fabric ordered "just in case," and the neon dye a factory begged her not to use [20:28] Launching Neranese during her baby's naps — and why her first collection missed the mark (nobody wanted dresses; they wanted tie-dye sweats) [25:55] Twins, a NICU, a move the same week as her C-section, and the phone call that erased the job she was counting on [29:13] Her dad's advice — never say no to an opportunity — and how it built her three-stream career [30:40] Why "what works for now" beats a 15-year plan — and the retirement party already on her calendar [36:19] The 12 people who touch a single dress before it reaches you: why machines don't make clothes, people make clothes [38:27] What actually makes a $68 organic cotton t-shirt cost $68 [41:53] Two things any consumer can do to shop more sustainably — no certifications required GUEST LINKS: Neranese Website: https://neranese.com Neranese Dune Pants (Sonja & Molly's favorite) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neranese_collection/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonjanesse/_ CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Shaina Mote: https://shainamote.com Jesse Kamm: https://jessekamm.com If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC

Six months into this midlife career change experiment, Molly’s pulling back the curtain — not on a guest, but on herself. Two lessons the guests keep teaching her, two mind shifts that have quietly changed how she thinks about money and risk, two things that have flat-out not gone to plan, and two she’s reworking heading into the back half of the year. It’s an honest midyear check-in for any woman in her 40s or 50s rethinking her own second act. Then, rolling into the holiday weekend, she replays the episode that started it all: Joanna Ehresman, and the one piece of coaching advice — treat your next thing as an experiment — that took the pressure off everything. What You Will Learn — Molly’s Midyear Recap [00:48] Lesson one: almost no one pivots alone [01:37] Lesson two: real career change takes three to five years, usually built alongside the day job [02:53] Mind shift one: treating your next thing as an experiment — and the weight it lifts [04:32] Mind shift two: rethinking income and benefits — non-traditional money, and Melanie’s hospital-board health coverage workaround [06:11] What hasn’t gone well [09:03] What she’s working on: flipping the schedule [10:07] The inner work — doing the work [11:06] Feedback is a gift: the stories and voices Molly most wants to hear next Replay — Episode 1: Joanna Ehresman “Using Your Existing Skills for Your Second Act” After years in wealth-management marketing, Joanna’s role was eliminated in 2023. She rested, launched a fractional-CMO consultancy, then experimented her way into a created role at Fika Design Group — getting her foot in the door with a simple, honest ask: can I shadow you for a week? It’s a masterclass in career reinvention — bringing the skills you already have into the field you’ve always wanted. [13:46] Molly’s intro to the replay [14:05] Meet Joanna — growth strategist to interior-design operations [15:37] The marketing career, the rapid growth, and the 2023 layoff [16:42] Rest first — then choosing consulting over another full-time role [17:46] The podcast guest who reframed career moves as experiments [18:29] Finding a coach, listening to her gut, and “say what needs to be said” [22:23] The interior-design dream she’d been too scared to name [23:44] The job-shadow pitch — and how an honest ask opened the door [25:26] Turning a one-week shadow into a created, pilot-to-primary role [37:06] Letting go of an old identity — and the fear underneath it [38:59] The money math: equity, living below their means, working half as much [43:06] The strengths she carried straight into the new role [49:36] Where to find Joanna & Fika Design Group [51:01] Molly’s takeaway: pivots aren’t always linear — and you can build as you go [52:37] Bonus: the behind-the-scenes conversation and the “give yourself a year… we’ll see” permission that started it all Connect with HIR Instagram: instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co Facebook: facebook.com/HerIntentionalReset Website: herintentionalreset.com Email: [email protected] Resources Mentioned in This Episode The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron: a.co/d/09E1ps0J Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist’s Way Creative Cluster: https://herintentionalreset.com/community/ OR facebook.com/groups/herintentionalresetexperience Connect with the Guest — Joanna Ehresman LinkedIn: Joanna Ehresman Fika Design Group (Instagram): @fika_design_group Support the Show If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in.

Melanie had every reason to stay: the title, the paycheck, the 401(k) she’d be walking away from as a single woman with no one to fall back on. Then a mentor asked her one question that made all of that beside the point — how many women are you NOT reaching by playing it safe? ABOUT THE GUEST: Melanie Kiss spent nearly 30 years in healthcare before founding Chicas Abroad, a women’s adventure travel company she built on the side and didn’t go full-time on until 48. Now the author of two books — a practical travel guide and a reinvention memoir, When the Compass Shifts — she walks through the thoughtful, strategic five-year transition: the money math, the mentor question that reframed everything, and the dream she’d buried since she was 16. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [03:31] Why she launched an adventure travel company in the middle of COVID, when no one was traveling[10:25] The single question from her mentor that flipped her from “I can’t afford to leave” to going all in[29:30] Why she wroteWhen the Compass Shifts— a reinvention memoir with reflection questions for women rethinking their next chapter[34:26] How she found her direction by noticing where her mind wandered — a dream she’d had since 15[41:26] Which corporate skills transferred straight into entrepreneurship — and the practical pieces (pricing, profit, contractors) she had to learn from scratch[51:07] Her mantra: get out of your comfort zone — and why she holds her clients to it too GUEST LINKS: Chicas Abroad Website: https://www.chicasabroad.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicas_abroad/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicasabroad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chicas-abroad/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniekiss/ Podcast: Chicas Chat Book — Adventure More, Worry Less: https://amzn.to/4acOCef Book — When the Compass Shifts: https://amzn.to/3SlkvLr CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: Roots & Bloom Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootsandbloom_studio/ Listener promotion: Roots & Bloom 20% off plant purchase — mention "Her Intentional Reset" at checkout/to Ciera Curtis CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron: https://a.co/d/09E1ps0J Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist's Way Creative Cluster: https://www.facebook.com/groups/herintentionalresetexperience If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in.