Two Kids and A Career: Recent Episodes
Jill Devine Media
Are you craving an open, honest conversation about the highs and lows of parenting, your career, and home life? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone.
Jill Devine is here to talk about the daily grind of parenthood and how it can make you feel alone, isolated and questioning it all. The Two Kids and A Career Podcast is an outlet to escape the stresses of everyday life, while engaging in real conversations.
Jill is an entrepreneur, wife and mama. Her 20-year career as an on-air radio personality inspired this podcast to give voice to the complexities of raising a family, having a career and simply just trying to keep it all together. From the tough talks to the hilarity of it all, she is here to have a conversation and offer great advice from a tribe of amazing individuals.
Tune in and join along as we navigate the emotional roller-coaster known as parenthood!
The Holy Week reflections Laura Fleetwood created about Jesus and how he exuded all of the 9 personality types from the ancient spiritual growth tool called the enneagram, generated a lot of buzz. Jill Devine asked Laura to dig deeper and explain more about the enneagram and how it applies to our everyday lives, as well as our spiritual lives.
In this week’s episode, Laura provides a general overview of enneagram types 8, 9, and 1 – the gut center.
Learn Your Own Enneagram Type by Taking this Free Assessment:
https://coach.yourenneagramcoach.com/laura-fleetwood
Gospel-Centered Enneagram Explanations:
https://messiahstcharles.org/origins-download/
https://gcdiscipleship.com/article-feed/should-christians-use-the-enneagram
Enneagram Books:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=enneagram&crid=1ILLI5HV7ZE9S&sprefix=enneagram%2Caps%2C158&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Enneagram Coaching for Individual or Couple: Contact Laura Fleetwood at laura@seekingthestill.com
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career: https://www.jilldevine.com/podcast
Seeking The Still Website:Seekingthestill.com
Seeking The Still Instagram:Instagram.com/seekingthestill
Seeking The Still Facebook:Facebook.com/seekthestill
Normal Goes A Long Way Website:https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/
Normal Goes A Long Way Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normalgoesalongway/
Normal Goes A Long Way Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Normal-Goes-A-Long-Way-110089491250735
Normal Goes A Long Way is brought to you by Messiah St. Charles: https://messiahstcharles.org/
The Holy Week reflections Laura Fleetwood created about Jesus and how he exuded all of the 9 personality types from the ancient spiritual growth tool called the enneagram, generated a lot of buzz. Jill Devine asked Laura to dig deeper and explain more about the enneagram and how it applies to our everyday lives, as well as our spiritual lives.
In this week’s episode, Laura provides a general overview of enneagram types 5, 6, and 7 – the head center.
Learn Your Own Enneagram Type by Taking this Free Assessment:
https://coach.yourenneagramcoach.com/laura-fleetwood
Gospel-Centered Enneagram Explanations:
https://messiahstcharles.org/origins-download/
https://gcdiscipleship.com/article-feed/should-christians-use-the-enneagram
Enneagram Books:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=enneagram&crid=1ILLI5HV7ZE9S&sprefix=enneagram%2Caps%2C158&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Enneagram Coaching for Individual or Couple: Contact Laura Fleetwood at laura@seekingthestill.com
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career: https://www.jilldevine.com/podcast
Seeking The Still Website:Seekingthestill.com
Seeking The Still Instagram:Instagram.com/seekingthestill
Seeking The Still Facebook:Facebook.com/seekthestill
Normal Goes A Long Way Website:https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/
Normal Goes A Long Way Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normalgoesalongway/
Normal Goes A Long Way Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Normal-Goes-A-Long-Way-110089491250735
Normal Goes A Long Way is brought to you by Messiah St. Charles: https://messiahstcharles.org/
The Holy Week reflections Laura Fleetwood created about Jesus and how he exuded all of the 9 personality types from the ancient spiritual growth tool called the enneagram, generated a lot of buzz. Jill Devine asked Laura to dig deeper and explain more about the enneagram and how it applies to our everyday lives, as well as our spiritual lives.
In this week’s episode, Laura provides a general overview of enneagram types 2, 3, and 4 – the heart center.
Learn Your Own Enneagram Type by Taking this Free Assessment:
https://coach.yourenneagramcoach.com/laura-fleetwood
Gospel-Centered Enneagram Explanations:
https://messiahstcharles.org/origins-download/
https://gcdiscipleship.com/article-feed/should-christians-use-the-enneagram
Enneagram Books:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=enneagram&crid=1ILLI5HV7ZE9S&sprefix=enneagram%2Caps%2C158&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Enneagram Coaching for Individual or Couple: Contact Laura Fleetwood at laura@seekingthestill.com
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career: https://www.jilldevine.com/podcast
Seeking The Still Website:Seekingthestill.com
Seeking The Still Instagram:Instagram.com/seekingthestill
Seeking The Still Facebook:Facebook.com/seekthestill
Normal Goes A Long Way Website:https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/
Normal Goes A Long Way Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normalgoesalongway/
Normal Goes A Long Way Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Normal-Goes-A-Long-Way-110089491250735
Normal Goes A Long Way is brought to you by Messiah St. Charles: https://messiahstcharles.org/
The Holy Week reflections Laura Fleetwood created about Jesus and how he exuded all of the 9 personality types from the ancient spiritual growth tool called the enneagram, generated a lot of buzz. Jill Devine asked Laura to dig deeper and explain more about the enneagram and how it applies to our everyday lives, as well as our spiritual lives.
In this week’s episode, Laura provides a general overview of the enneagram.
Learn Your Own Enneagram Type by Taking this Free Assessment:
https://coach.yourenneagramcoach.com/laura-fleetwood
Gospel-Centered Enneagram Explanations:
https://messiahstcharles.org/origins-download/
https://gcdiscipleship.com/article-feed/should-christians-use-the-enneagram
Enneagram Books:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=enneagram&crid=1ILLI5HV7ZE9S&sprefix=enneagram%2Caps%2C158&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Enneagram Coaching for Individual or Couple: Contact Laura Fleetwood at laura@seekingthestill.com
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career: https://www.jilldevine.com/podcast
Seeking The Still Website:Seekingthestill.com
Seeking The Still Instagram:Instagram.com/seekingthestill
Seeking The Still Facebook:Facebook.com/seekthestill
Normal Goes A Long Way Website:https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/
Normal Goes A Long Way Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normalgoesalongway/
Normal Goes A Long Way Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Normal-Goes-A-Long-Way-110089491250735
Normal Goes A Long Way is brought to you by Messiah St. Charles: https://messiahstcharles.org/
Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus had a personality just like you and me? He was both fully divine and fully human. We see this dual nature of him clearly in the scriptures from Holy Week. Join Laura Fleetwood each day this week as we travel to the cross with Jesus and see how he exudes all of the 9 personality types from the ancient spiritual growth tool called the enneagram. As we see Jesus display the fullness of human personality in his words and actions, we are reminded that He understands our human faults and frailty, but He overcame all of the struggles we face so that we could trust Him in this life and live forever with him in the next.
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career: https://www.jilldevine.com/podcast
Seeking The Still Website:Seekingthestill.com
Seeking The Still Instagram:Instagram.com/seekingthestill
Seeking The Still Facebook:Facebook.com/seekthestill
Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/
Normal Goes A Long Way Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normalgoesalongway/
Normal Goes A Long Way Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Normal-Goes-A-Long-Way-110089491250735
Normal Goes A Long Way is brought to you by Messiah St. Charles: https://messiahstcharles.org/
This is the last episode of Two Kids and A Career until … TBD. Jill Devine made a very tough decision and she wrote about it in a blog post, which she read in this week’s episode.
A very special thank you:
Brian, Lu, and Charli
My family and friends
Evoke Creative, especially Crystal and Tiffany
Clara
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Elemental Esthetics
Lisa Webb with Addy’s Way
Messy Mommies
Last but not least, YOU!
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
In reflecting on the number of episodes Jill Devine has produced for Two Kids and A Career, she realized she hadn’t had an episode dedicated entirely to single moms. That changes with this week’s episode.
Samantha Tradelius is a Mother, Wife, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, and Speaker. Samantha is brutally honest, fast moving and a supporter of all things SHE.
A born go-getter from early on, Samantha always knew she was destined to do big things. Armed with her brokerage license and natural gift for being a connector, Samantha began her entrepreneurial journey co-founding Commercial Coverage Insurance Agency (CCIA) alongside her husband. From humble beginnings the pair quickly turned CCIA into a wildly successful business, valued at an impressive eight figures.
Following her success with CIA, Samantha knew it was time to lean into a passion that had inspired her from a very young age. Having never stopped thinking about the stories her grandmother and hero, GG, would tell her about raising three children as a single mom in the 1950s. Samantha always noticed that in all her stories, her grandmother never mentioned anyone helping her...or asking for help. She knew that her grandmother had done everything she could to rub her nickels together to make everything possible for her children.
Samantha and Jill discussed the nonprofit Samantha created to help single moms.
IG: @SamanthaTradelius
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Lakshmi Jayanthi is the Founder & CEO of Pickup Sports and also the mom of two active young boys. Lakshmi's mission is to inspire kids to live a long-term active lifestyle by bringing the fun back into youth sports and making it more accessible for all kids. Pickup Sports is a mobile app that facilitates kids playing neighborhood sports which makes sports easier for parents and a lot less intense for kids. They help parents organize their own local play groups, invite friends to join, challenge other neighborhoods to a game and provide educational videos so parents have a plan for what their kids can play.
Lakshmi joined Jill Devine this week to discuss Pickup Sports.
Instagram: @pickupsportsfun
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/keepkidsactive
Twitter: @askpickupsports
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Evoke Creative
Jennifer Warmann-Bloss is a licensed Esthetician, CEO of Elemental Esthetics and Blogger and has been working on clients since 2001. Elemental Esthetics has been a proud sponsor of Two Kids and A Career for the last year and a half. Jill Devine is a regular client of Jennifer’s and first had Jennifer on the podcast in Episode 79: How An Esthetician Approaches Her Clientele's Desire For Youth.
Jill invited Jennifer back on the podcast for a two-part episode to discuss some trends and beauty tips. In this week’s episode, some of the topics the ladies discussed: Vitamin C, serums, sunscreens, zinc, titanium oxide, and how to layer your facial creams and lotions.
More about Jennifer Warmann-Bloss:
Being educated in Boston at one of the top Esthetics Schools in the country, the Catherine Hinds Institute, sets her base education apart from the average esthetician in St Louis. She prides herself on maintaining her education ongoing and additionally keeping you, the client, educated as well on the latest innovations in anti-aging.
Her approach to services is to truly create a customized experience for anyone who comes through her doors. She doesn’t simply follow the same protocols for all but instead develops a program designed to make you look your personal best. With personalized facial services, lasers, peels and more, she has all the tools necessary to make you look amazing. Additionally, Jennifer comes from a professional background with previous work experience in the high-tech world. She helped build and develop some of the first car dealer websites in the 90’s when the internet was just developing, worked in e-mail marketing software and worked with predictive modeling software with Fortune 500 companies. This professional understanding of technology helped her greatly as she began to educate herself on lasers and many other business arenas of esthetics.
Elemental Esthetics, LLC
425 N. New Ballas Rd., Suite 206
Creve Couer, MO 63141
Ph. and Text: 314-279-6069
IG: @elementalesthetics
FB: Elemental Esthetics
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Jennifer Warmann-Bloss is a licensed Esthetician, CEO of Elemental Esthetics and Blogger and has been working on clients since 2001. Elemental Esthetics has been a proud sponsor of Two Kids and A Career for the last year and a half. Jill Devine is a regular client of Jennifer’s and first had Jennifer on the podcast in Episode 79: How An Esthetician Approaches Her Clientele's Desire For Youth.
Jill invited Jennifer back on the podcast for a two-part episode to discuss some trends and beauty tips. In this week’s episode, the ladies discussed some hot words including amino acids, peptides, Ozempic, and Mounjaro.
More about Jennifer Warmann-Bloss:
Being educated in Boston at one of the top Esthetics Schools in the country, the Catherine Hinds Institute, sets her base education apart from the average esthetician in St Louis. She prides herself on maintaining her education ongoing and additionally keeping you, the client, educated as well on the latest innovations in anti-aging.
Her approach to services is to truly create a customized experience for anyone who comes through her doors. She doesn’t simply follow the same protocols for all but instead develops a program designed to make you look your personal best. With personalized facial services, lasers, peels and more, she has all the tools necessary to make you look amazing. Additionally, Jennifer comes from a professional background with previous work experience in the high-tech world. She helped build and develop some of the first car dealer websites in the 90’s when the internet was just developing, worked in e-mail marketing software and worked with predictive modeling software with Fortune 500 companies. This professional understanding of technology helped her greatly as she began to educate herself on lasers and many other business arenas of esthetics.
Elemental Esthetics, LLC
425 N. New Ballas Rd., Suite 206
Creve Couer, MO 63141
Ph. and Text: 314-279-6069
IG: @elementalesthetics
FB: Elemental Esthetics
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Beth Hendler-Grunt is the founder and president of Next Great Step. The firm’s sole focus is to guide college students and recent grads to help them to land the job they deserve. She leverages techniques and insights of advising CEOs and brings those secrets to students to help them stand out and get the job. She has enabled hundreds of clients to achieve success where 90% of clients land the job of their choice. Ms. Hendler-Grunt is the author of the Amazon #1 Best Seller, “The Next Great Step: The Parents’ Guide to Launching Your New Grad into A Career”. This is a must-have resource for parents. Ms. Hendler-Grunt has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, SiriusXM radio, Kiplinger, CNN, Fortune, and many other media outlets. Her clients have landed jobs at Amazon, Yelp, JP Morgan, EY, and Major League Baseball to name a few. She is also the mom of a recent college grad and college sophomore… so she gets it.
Even though Jill Devine’s daughters are 6 and 4 years old and she’s not close to having this particular type of conversation with them, she recognizes this is a very important topic that parents in all seasons of life should take a listen to.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
In Episode 105: Ways To Be At Your Best Physically, Mentally, And Emotionally, Dr. Allison Walsh and Jill Devine spent most of the time discussing Women's Lifestyle Solutions. Listening to women's struggles with untreated or under treated chronic pain, anxiety/depression, hormonal imbalance, and weight gain inspired Dr. Walsh to seek more comprehensive solutions for her patients' problems, which is how Women’s Lifestyle Solutions came about.
Before Women’s Lifestyle Solutions, Dr. Walsh’s main focus was her work as an OB/GYN. Jill invited Dr. Walsh to come back on Two Kids and A Career to talk all things OB/GYN. Some of the topics the ladies discussed:
*Honoring all women’s delivery requests (mid-wives, doulas, natural births, etc.)
*How to take care of the body before, during, and after pregnancy
*Infertility
*FAQ of an OB/GYN
*Advanced maternal age recognition
To make an appointment with Dr. Walsh, call 314.567.5017 (for OB/GYN) or 314.279.6069 (for Women’s Lifestyle Solutions).
FB: @ObstetricsandGynecologyCareLLC
IG: @Obstetricsgynecologycare
FB: @womenslifestylesolutions
IG: @stlwomenslifestylesolutions
Website: https://www.obstetricsgynecologycare.com/
Ancillary Pregnancy Services/Pregnancy Packages: https://www.obstetricsgynecologycare.com/pregnancy-packages
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
On August 4th, 2021, Richard Capriola joined Jill Devine to discuss his work as an addictions counselor, as well his book, The Addicted Child. You can hear that discussion on Episode 83: All Children Are Vulnerable To Substance Abuse.
Since that conversation, Richard has gathered more information and statistics on drug use among kids. Jill Devine invited Richard to come back on Two Kids and A Career to share his findings.
Originally published on August 4th, 2021:
Richard Capriola spent 11 years working as an addictions counselor for Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas before retiring in 2019. Menninger Clinic is one of the top ten psychiatric hospitals in the United States and specializes in the assessment, stabilization and treatment of adults and adolescents with substance abuse and psychiatric disorders. During his tenure there he worked in the Adolescent Treatment program and the adult Comprehensive Psychiatric Assessment and Stabilization program. Working closely with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses he was responsible for comprehensive assessments and individual and group counseling with patients diagnosed with substance use disorders.
Through his experience at the Menninger Clinic, he was able to write a book for parents regarding substance abuse,The Addicted Child: A Parent's Guide to Adolescent Substance Abuse.
The Addicted Child is a roadmap for parents on adolescent substance abuse. If your child uses alcohol or drugs, you know how it affects your family. These substances enter your child’s brain and change their behavior. You want to help your child, but where do you begin? The Addicted Child is your roadmap. Learn what makes adolescent addiction different. How drugs can change your child’s brain and behaviors. The assessments and tests you should insist upon. And more.
If you have questions or issues you’re interested in hearing more about, email Jill Devine: hello@jilldevine.com and she will put you in touch with Richard.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Jill Devine met this week’s guest, Alycia, through the podcasting world and then started following her on Instagram. Jill was fascinated by the tips and tricks Alycia was sharing about living a non-toxic life.
As a mom and wife, Alycia started learning years ago about the toxic chemicals and ingredients in our products and food. She has since started sharing this knowledge, including recipes and tips, to help others cut out these toxic ingredients and lead a healthier lifestyle for themselves and their families.
Referenced in this week’s episode:
“Back To Eden” Book
Barbara O’Neill on YouTube
The Infamous Honey Recipe
Instagram: @coffee_cupcakes_kids
Alycia’s Website
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Anieke Lamers is a Dutch long-distance auntie of 2 little ones in Australia, which is what helped inspire her to create Peekabond. As the founder & CEO of Peekabond, Peekabond is designed for children and their parents to help connect with loved ones remotely.
In this week’s episode with Jill Devine, Anieke shares about her journey as a female entrepreneur and the insights she has gained speaking to many families across the globe.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063607297369
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/69675180/admin/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/aniekelamersnl/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/peekabond/
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Evoke Creative
Last time Michelle Gauthier was on the podcast, she claimed the title of being the first guest to appear 3 times on Two Kids and A Career! Now she gets to claim the title of being the first guest to make a 4thappearance on the podcast! Here are the other episodes Michelle has appeared on:
Episode 24: A Mom’s Guide To A Calm Holiday Season
Episode 25: Tips On How To Bring More Calm To Your Life During A Pandemic
Episode 74: Advice On Readjusting To "Normal Life" Post COVID
Jill Devine invited Michelle back on the podcast to discuss an email Michelle sent to her followers. The subject line was “How to change someone”. The ladies discussed that email in detail in this week’s episode. They also discussed Michelle’s new podcast, “Overwhelmed Working Woman”, which is now available wherever you like to listen to your podcasts.
Email: michelle@michellegauthier.com
Website: michellegauthier.com/more
IG: @michellegauthiercoaching
FB: Michelle Gauthier Life Coaching
LinkedIn: Michelle Gauthier
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Lenora Edwards is a ASHA Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist and Chief Knowledge Officer with Better Speech. Since obtaining her Certificate of Clinician Competence in 2010, she has worked with individuals of all ages from little ones who are learning to understand and express themselves to adults who want to improve their speaking skills and become a more fluent and effective communicator.
Better Speech is an online speech therapy company that has been providing professional, affordable, and convenient speech therapy services for more than a decade. All the Speech Language Pathologists with Better Speech are Board Certified and State Licensed with more than 10 years’ experience each which allows us to provide outstanding online speech therapy services nationwide and internationally. With more than 150 Speech Language Pathologists at BetterSpeech.com, we are experts at helping people communicate in the most efficient and affordable way possible!
Jill Devine and Lenora discussed all the above in detail, with a heavy focus on littles since Jill has two young daughters. The ladies also talked about post COVID brain fog and how Lenora can help with that condition.
Start Now: https://www.betterspeech.com/start-now
Better Speech Resources: https://www.betterspeech.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourbetterspeech/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@better.speech
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterspeech/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-speech/mycompany/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BetterSpeechVideo
Financial Assistance: www.betterspeech.com/consult-financial-aid
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Evoke Creative
If you know Jill Devine from her radio days, then you are bound to know Jen Myers Farmer. Jen and Jill worked closely together for almost ten years at the same radio station.
In 2016, Jen was diagnosed with breast cancer and her difficult cancer journey continues to this day. Jill invited Jen to come on the podcast to talk about the journey she has been on, along with her perspective on everyday life. The most important part of the conversation (in Jill’s opinion) was the reinforcement that ups and downs in relationships are normal and how powerful saying “I love you” can be.
You can read more about Jen’s story and make a contribution by clicking this link. Every dollar raised will support the Farmer family today and tomorrow. To offer them the blessing of one less thing to worry about as they navigate this next chapter. To pursue any future medical treatment available. To be together. To have fun. To, in the face of uncertainty, keep their resolve high and keep their lives moving ever forward.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Pregnant with her second, Kelly Wilcox went maternity clothes shopping and came back frustrated. Not only did maternity wear lack stylish and comfortable options, but she was disgusted with the amount of waste produced from these clothes you only wear a few times. As a former consignment store owner, Kelly was passionate about finding ways to reuse your clothes and with her background studying at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and 10 years in the fashion industry, she put her mind to creating a garment that could be used from maternity, breast feeding and beyond, serving in her own life as a busy mom. With her focus on versatility, sustainability, and functionality, the Momper Romper was born.
In this week’s episode, Jill Devine and Kelly talked about finding the right pieces in your "new mom" wardrobe that will serve you in all walks of your mom life and how to shop sustainable clothes for yourself and your family. The ladies also talked about what pieces to keep, what to toss and where you should invest.
Check out this article Kelly shared with Jill: “10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics”.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/momperromper/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/momperromper/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@momperromper
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
There have been many episodes of Two Kids and A Career dedicated to helping children with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. On the other hand, there hasn’t been a full episode dedicated to helping adults with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. That all changes with this week’s guest, Alex Gilbert. Here’s a little bit about Alex:
I'm a new mom, a New Yorker, a Mets fan, a yogi, and a brunch enthusiast. I also have dyslexia and ADHD.
After spending my career working in leadership development, I decided to start a consulting and coaching business that will help adults (like myself) with learning disabilities and/or ADHD who have been struggling in their day-to-day life and careers. My business, Cape-Able Consulting, was created to help them navigate their day-to-day workloads and life to feel supported to reach their highest potential.
In this week’s episode, Jill Devine and Alex discussed Alex’s misdiagnosis as a child and how that has fueled her to become the woman she is today. In addition, Alex offers free 1:1 30-minute “brain dumps” where she can discuss personal recommendations to implement organizational/focusing tips that match your style of learning.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/iamcapeable/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamcapeable
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-gilbert-ceo/
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Thank you to our sponsor: Evoke Creative
Brandon Janous joined Jill Devine for a second time on the podcast. His first appearance on Two Kids and A Career was on February 24th, 2021, in Episode 64: A Widower's Advice On Living Life To The Fullest.
Since the airing of Episode 64, a lot has happened in the Janous family, but one of the biggest things is the publication of Brandon’s first book, Just Do!. Here’s part of the introduction Brandon wrote for the book:
This wasn’t how I’d expected my first book to begin. To be honest, before Rachel got sick, I’d already written much of what you’ll read if you keep going. And for the most part, it’s not sad. I had no intention of making you cry or bringing you to tears. Actually, what I’d written before cancer was fun, exciting, joyful, funny, and all the other feel-good words. But then life happened. Life has a way of doing that. It just happens. It would be easy for you to read that opening passage and think that you’ve stumbled upon a book full of pain and sorrow. But I’m here to assure you that what you’ll find in the following pages isn’t that. Yes, we lost Rachel. Yes, I’m going to spend some time talking about that season because she deserves to be talked about, and her story deserves to be told. Yes, it’s sad and hard and may not make sense most days. But what you’re not going to find is a book about death or dying. That’s not what this is. That’s not what Rachel would have wanted. It’s not littered with stories from the hospital or the cancer center. It could be because there were so many beautiful lessons during those days. But that’s not what this story is. It’s actually quite the opposite. This book is about living. It’s about loving. It’s about doing. Because that’s what Rachel chose to do every single moment of every single day. She lived. She loved. And even as she was dying, she continued to do. My hope for this book is that through sharing more of our families’ stories, you choose to live and love a little differently going forward.
Brandon and Jill discussed Just Do! and the important life lessons everyone should learn.
FB and IG: @brandonjanous
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Mamas, take a listen to this episode because you are your child’s first role model. They are watching you.
Michelle Marie King is a philanthropic leader and motivational public speaker who has devoted her life to volunteerism and mentoring today’s youth. Michelle is blazing the country as a positivity activist and passionate visionary. In 2016, Michelle's passion for mental health and positivity led her to create Positive Presence Global and the proprietary Mentor-Coaching S.E.L.F curriculum. Since then, she has worked with hundreds of mentees and trained dozens of new Mentor-Coaches. In her career as a model, philanthropist, emcee, entrepreneur, and public speaker, Michelle has appeared on radio, television, billboards and print in over 15 different states to continue to promote Positive Presence Global and her community efforts. Michelle’s mission is to masterfully motivate people of all ages to lead a positive life and inspire others to do the same! Michelle explained her mission in detail with Jill Devine in this week’s episode.
Socials:
@Michelle Marie King
@positivepresenceglobal
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor: Evoke Creative
Joining Jill Devine for a second time on the podcast is Victoria Nieveen RD, LDN, IFNCP. She first appeared on Two Kids and A Career in Episode 109: How Her Fertility Struggles Can Help You.
Victoria’s Bio:
I am a Functional Nutrition dietitian who specializes in women’s health. I graduated from Mizzou with my Bachelor's in Medical Dietetics, and currently a Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine Master's student at the University of Western States. Today, I help women with absent or irregular cycles nourish their bodies and balance their hormones, so that they can conceive. Unlike conventional protocols, I use a whole-body approach and faith-based coaching to help my clients reconnect with their bodies, regulate their cycles, and optimize their fertility. I use my experiences, both personally and professionally, to help women realize their story isn’t over yet. God has more in store for them. This means trusting their body again, cultivating a positive relationship with food, achieving their healthy hormone goals, and integrating all forms of wellness into their lives.
Jill invited Victoria back on the podcast to talk about all things related to menstrual cycles. Many women find it’s still taboo to talk about their periods or they haven’t been properly educated on what a normal cycle looks and feels like. Victoria shared her expertise and advice on this important subject matter.
Email: victoria@vn-nutrition.com
Website: vn-nutrition.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flo.fertilitynutrition
Instagram: @flo.fertilitynutrition
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
We are officially kicking off Season 8 of Two Kids and A Career with Episode 126! Jill Devine recorded another solo episode to talk about how she doesn’t make New Year’s Resolutions, but she does pick a word to focus on for the year. Her word for 2023 is CONSISTENT:
con·sist·ent
/kənˈsist(ə)nt/
adjective
acting or done in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate.
"the parents are being consistent and firm in their reactions"
unchanging in nature, standard, or effect over time.
"he is their most consistent player this season"
compatible or in agreement with something.
"the injuries are consistent with falling from a great height"
Jill wants to know if you have a word for the New Year or do you set goals or have resolutions? She’d love to hear from you. Email her, hello@jilldevine.com. Also, if you would like to sponsor the podcast or know someone who would, the best way to get more information is to email Jill.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Evoke Creative & Blondin Professional Real Estate
It’s that time of year where things start to slow down and time off is a must. Jill Devine is ending 2022 with a recap of Season 7. Highlights from this episode include:
*Links Jill mentioned in the episode
Episode 44: Happy Hour and Coffee Date Conversations
Episode 111: A Community Designed To Help The Sandwich Generation
Episode 121: Having Tough Conversations With Your Aging Parents
Episode 123: How To Have Age-Appropriate Conversations With Your Kids About Sex
*The other podcast Jill produces and hosts: Normal Goes A Long Way
Season 8 of Two Kids and A Career kicks off on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. If you have a topic or guest suggestion for Season 8, email Jill: hello@jilldevine.com. If you would like to sponsor the podcast or know someone who would, the best way to get more information is to email Jill. In the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Evoke Creative, Blondin Professional Real Estate, & Zencastr
Use my special link https://zen.ai/twokidsandacareer and use Two Kids and A Career to save 30% off your first three months of Zencastr professional. #madeonzencastr
Ann-Christin Villegas is this week’s guest on Two Kids and A Career. Her pregnancy journey led her to writing about it. From Ann-Christin:
"Becoming a mother and all the struggles that come with it literally opened a new chapter of my life. I am passionate about empowering other parents to pursue the vision they have for their family without giving into the easy way out and the peer pressure around them. I hope my book is the no-nonsense go-to book when dealing with topics most people shy away from.
Originally from Friedberg, Germany, I reside in Northern Virginia with my husband Luis, two (for now) daughters Mila and Livia and two cats, Pubi and Panta. I am a PMP certified Biotech Engineer and work as a consultant in the pharmaceutical industry. I love to travel, especially to Germany, where I was born and raised. I enjoy cooking and baking, followed closely by eating. I am always up for an adventure and like scuba diving, just not with unexpected Bull Sharks encircling…but that is another story for another time."
She describes her book, “Becoming A Parent” as:
"Parenthood: The only place you can experience heaven and hell at the same time. The unsugarcoated guide to help you prepare before birth to your baby's first birthday.
When you find out you will be a parent, you realize you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into. You sway between the confidence of being the best parent to your baby, and self-doubt of failing your little one. It only becomes more daunting as you learn so many things no one ever talked to you about.
When everyone else makes it seem so easy; what does reality actually look like?
*Get an overview of pregnancy, birth, and baby's first year of life
*Find answers to your questions not readily discussed in society
*Feel better prepared for what lies ahead of you
*Find out what matters to you
*Understand how you want to raise your baby and some helpful tips to get you there
*Purposely decide on how you don't want to raise your baby
Becoming A Parent helps you reduce the sleepless nights before your baby is born and gives you the motivation and confidence to get through the ups and downs of early parenthood."
Jill Devine and Ann-Christin discuss the book in more detail in this week’s guest.
Ann- Christin’s LinkedIn
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Elemental Esthetics & Zencastr
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Use my special link https://zen.ai/twokidsandacareer and use Two Kids and A Career to save 30% off your first three months of Zencastr professional. #madeonzencastr
Talking to your kids about the birds & bees can be really uncomfortable and most people dread the idea of having “THE TALK”, but it doesn’t have to be this way!
Amy Lang, MA has been a sexual health educator for over 25 years. Surprised by her discomfort with just the idea of talking with her young son about his body, she knew she needed help. Amy did a bunch of research to learn how to talk with kids about bodies and sexuality and realized she could help other parents with this important part of parenting.
In 2006 she started Birds & Bees & Kids. With her lively, engaging, and down-to-earth style she helps parents become comfortable and confident talking with their kids. Amy’s books, online solutions center, and podcast called “Just Say This”, show parents they really can become their kids' go-to birds and bees source. Her mission is to help parents feel comfortable and confident when they have these important conversations.
In this week’s episode with Jill Devine, Amy breaks down how to have age-appropriate conversations with your kids about “THE TALK”.
“Sex Talks With Tweens - What to Say & How to Say It!”
15% discount for The Birds and Bees Solutions Center for Parents
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsors: Elemental Esthetics & Zencastr
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Use my special link https://zen.ai/twokidsandacareer and use Two Kids and A Career to save 30% off your first three months of Zencastr professional. #madeonzencastr
Sue Atkins is an internationally recognized Parenting Expert, Broadcaster, Speaker, and Author of the Amazon best-selling books “Parenting Made Easy – How to Raise Happy Children” & “Raising Happy Children for Dummies", as well as the author of the highly acclaimed Parenting Made Easy resources.
Her highly acclaimed “Can Do Kid’s Journal: Discover your Confidence Superpower” gives children the gift of self-esteem and empowers them to become creative, innovative, independent, resourceful, resilient & confident in their own abilities to try new things & able to bounce back after setbacks.
She has created The Sue Atkins Toddler Roadmap around raising happy, confident, and resilient toddlers. It is bursting with exclusive content for parents around toddler tantrums, picky eating, potty training, bedtimes & sleep, and covers the “why” and “no” stages and is bursting with fresh ideas, tried and tested strategies and lots of practical tips to raise toddlers with strong self-esteem and good mental health – not damaged by living through a pandemic.
Sue also specializes in supporting families through divorce & created the award winning “Divorce Journal for Kids”, which is designed to help children express, explore, and understand some of the strong emotions that they may be feeling and to help them process the divorce for themselves. She has also created a series of “Divorce Conversational Cards” for parents to help start the difficult conversations about the changes that families face when they are going through divorce.
Jill Devine and Sue discussed all of the above in this week’s episode.
Twitter: @sueatkins
Instagram: @sueatkins18
Facebook: Sue Atkins The Parenting Expert
LinkedIn: Sue Atkins
Pinterest: Sue Atkins Parenting Expert
YouTube: Sue Atkins Parenting Expert
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Evoke Creative, Blondin Professional Real Estate, & Zencastr
Use my special link https://zen.ai/twokidsandacareer and use Two Kids and A Career to save 30% off your first three months of Zencastr professional. #madeonzencastr
Jill Devine was introduced to this week’s guest, Erin Dwyer-Busch, through a mutual friend, Cynthia Siess Kirkpatrick. Cynthia was featured on Episode 81: How Being A Better Version Of Yourself Will Help Others.
Erin Dwyer-Busch is an Eldercare Strategist with her company Senior Care Authority of St. Louis. Erin has her BA in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and her Masters of Science in speech-language pathology from Fontbonne University. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA), and a Beyond Driving with Dignity professional. She has 17 years of experience working with pediatric and adult clients with developmental disorders, MS, voice disorders, individuals who are post-stroke, have speech & language disorders, tongue thrust, and those with traumatic brain injuries.
Through residential placement advising and eldercare consulting, Erin and her team help families with aging loved ones find the best senior living and care options available as well as guiding them through the healthcare system by providing resources, education, and advocacy. The primary goal at Senior Care Authority is keeping your senior safe.
It’s never easy to have tough conversations with your aging parents, but that’s where Erin comes in. She and her team can help you navigate those conversations. The team also teaches families the tools and what to say to get the care their loved ones need and deserve.
Phone Number: 314-451-2255
Facebook: Senior Care Authority STL
Instagram: @seniorcarestl
LinkedIn: Erin Dwyer-Busch
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Evoke Creative, Blondin Professional Real Estate, & Zencastr
Use my special link https://zen.ai/twokidsandacareer and use Two Kids and A Career to save 30% off your first three months of Zencastr professional. #madeonzencastr
Ashley Dunnwald is a certified life coach whose mission is to co-create a new paradigm of womanhood and motherhood where women heal their nervous system, develop a healthy relationship with their mind and body and live an expansive life on their terms. Her clients release stress addiction, unhealthy habits and toxic self-judgment and create abundant wellness, relaxed productivity and true inner freedom. She feels immensely honored to walk alongside women as we individually and collectively transform our lives.
One of the topics Ashley and Jill Devine discussed in this week’s episode, “Bodies Are Weird – Learn to Love Yours”. The ladies specifically discussed the abdomen, and the lack of love women give their bellies. Here are a couple of items to help with that:
Etsy Temporary Tattoos Etsy Temporary Tattoos
Etsy Waist Beads Belly Love Jewelry
Website: https://www.ashleydunnwald.com/
IG:@ashleydunnwaldcoach
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsors:
Elemental Esthetics & Zencastr
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Use my special link https://zen.ai/twokidsandacareer and use Two Kids and A Career to save 30% off your first three months of Zencastr professional. #madeonzencastr
"Picky Eaterz main focus is helping children enjoy food flavors outside of sweets and salts. Ya know, like vegetables, beans, lentils and stuff.” – Paris Rollins
One common struggle most parents experience is the struggle of having picky eaters in the house. Paris Rollins was part of that experience, but wanted to make a change, not only for herself, but for her kids. From Paris:
“My name is Paris, and I am a proud mom of 4 children. I am very familiar with and have personally experienced the struggles of wanting your children to have the same love for veggies that they have for sweets and unhealthy foods. After starting my business from my very own experience, I realized that children aren't necessarily picky and that us moms are primarily responsible for shaping our children's palates. I cater healthy kid meals to schools every day but on my journey with my business and 3 children later, I soon discovered that children form their food preferences way before toddler meals. It starts as early as being in the womb based off mom's repeat food choices during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Our babies taste all those flavors in the womb and in mom's milk. Once discovering this, I set on a journey to capture children at the EARLIEST time possible that you can, when they form their food memories. I now train a child's taste palates to be more acceptant of foods like kale, spinach, beans, lentil, and more way before their first spoon of baby food.”
In this week’s episode, Paris and Jill Devine discussed the journey that led Paris to creating Picky Eaterz. The ladies also discussed different options parents have when it comes to their picky eater.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/pickyeaterzstl/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/PickyEaterzSTL/
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Evoke Creative
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Over the past 16 years, Laura Ann Rogers, FNP-C, MSN, RN, BSN, has worked as a floor nurse on a cardiothoracic surgical stepdown unit, as a lead nurse and clinical nurse manager in several hemodialysis clinics, as a nurse practitioner rounding in the hospital on kidney failure patients and managing chronic kidney disease patients in the office, as a traveling community health wellness provider, and in a chiropractic office as a holistic primary care provider skilled in alternative pain management and regenerative therapies for musculoskeletal & joint pain and dysfunction.
After many years of experience in conventional medicine, she followed her passion and changed her career path to integrative and functional medicine. She works at a medical spa, Elemental Esthetics, owned by Jennifer Warmann-Bloss. Her mission is to provide patient-centered, proactive, and personalized care to those who are weary and frustrated with our current medical system and are committed to achieving optimal health and wellness by removing what doesn't belong and adding what is missing in your body and in your life. She labels herself as a "medical detective" who uses specialized functional medicine lab work as her "magnifying glass" to uncover the underlying root causes to symptoms, illness, and disease. She spends an extensive amount of time analyzing test results, patient health history, and physical assessment findings to develop a personalized treatment plan to restore physiological balance within the body. She enjoys the freedom to spend as much time as she needs with her patients to develop a relaxed & genuine relationship. She integrates lifestyle medicine practices into her personalized treatment plans to improve stress management techniques and support self-care habits. Laura and Jill Devine talked in depth about functional medicine and “Supermom Syndrome” in this week’s episode.
Laura grew up in Washington, Missouri where she graduated from St. Francis Borgia High School with Honors in 2000. She attended University of Missouri - Columbia and graduated in 2006 with her Bachelor's in Nursing Science and a minor in psychology. She graduated with her Master’s degree at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri in 2016 and is AANPCB board- certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of American Association of Nurse Practitioner, Institute of Functional Medicine, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, Functional Medicine Fast Track, and is currently studying for certification in functional medicine at Functional Medicine University. She is currently training in Applied Kinesiology Muscle Testing as a tool to supplement her diagnosis processes. She looks forward to continuing her education in Lifestyle Medicine and Nutrition.
You can set up a discovery call with Laura. It’s complimentary and will take about 10-15 minutes. The number to reach Laura is 314-279-6069.
IG: @laura_wellnessnp
FB: Upstream Integrative Health
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
This episode has been in the making for two years. Jill Devine and Meghan Layne were finally able to connect in this week’s episode and the conversation could have lasted a lot longer!
Meghan is a southern girl (born and raised) but transplanted to St Louis because of her Midwest bred husband. After traveling the country for 8 years for her husband's baseball career, the Layne family decided to settle permanently in St Louis to raise their three kiddos. Meghan likes to say she’s a dentist by profession but a circus ringleader by choice. She practices dentistry part time and when she’s not juggling the demands of raising 3 kids, she’s coaching her wellness clients through the FASTer Way lifestyle and creating content for her lifestyle blog, Cirque du SoLayne. She’s a huge advocate for mom honesty and firmly believes that every woman has a story to tell.
Some of the topics Meghan and Jill discussed:
*The St. Louis Cardinals
*Meghan meeting Jill’s favorite basketball player, Michael Jordan
*The highs and lows of social media
*The loss of her infant daughter
*The struggles of being a working mom
*Living 15 hours away from her family
Instagram: @meghan.layne
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Suzanne Yatim Aslam is Former Miss Arab USA, activist and actor turned author whose most recent book, Post Pardon Me, addresses the dark thoughts that so many mothers have but are too scared to say out loud. She's thrilled to get this book into the hands of mothers who may be struggling with postpartum depression and anxiety.
From Suzanne:
It's a dark comedy on postpartum depression. I take you on a journey through my early stages of motherhood as you read journal entries from that time as I'm spiraling. The thing is, for half the book, I don't know that it's postpartum depression. I just thought being a mom sucked and that my son ruined my life.
I thought being a mom meant that I couldn’t have the rest of my life available to me. I thought I had to buy a minivan, put on that apron, and shut the hell up about topics of the day. Lord, I was so wrong. In motherhood, just like in life, it is what you make it. And I want it, motherhood, to be big and loud and soft and quiet and whatever it is that I need it to be.
Depression takes those thoughts away from you. It lies to you and tells you that you can’t have the life you want. When the fog cleared, I saw the life I wanted, and I made it. I’m the boss now.
Take a listen to this week’s episode as Jill Devine and Suzanne discuss the struggles of postpartum depression and anxiety.
IG: @suzyatimaslam
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor: Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Danyel Harrell has always been committed to and enthusiastic about assisting others. She's known as a connector who loves bringing people together. A lover of hosting memorable events for family and friends, opening Essential Venue was a natural progression. "I love the idea of getting your loved ones together over an incredible meal in an intimate environment," Danyel says. As a military child and a lover of exploration, Danyel's worldwide travels have shaped her perspective on togetherness and celebration. Danyel notes, "One thing is true of every culture, and that is the desire to celebrate life's most memorable moments with those we love. I'm excited to help that happen at Essential Venue."
A graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Danyel worked passionately in early childhood education, student athletic coaching, and school administration before opening Essential Venue. Whether individuals or other businesses, serving is always top of mind for Danyel. Her past successful ventures, including a home health agency and logistics company, are evidence of her heart for service. In addition, Danyel is a committed and active member of her church. Danyel reflects, "I've been tremendously blessed and seek to bless others as well."
As a dedicated and evolving businesswoman, Danyel's most cherished role is wife to husband Thomas and mother to their three young children. Take a listen to this weeks episode with Danyel and Jill Devine.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/essentialvenueedwardsville
IG: https://www.instagram.com/essentialvenue/
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor: Evoke Creative
Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino is the founder of The Best Ever You Network and co-founder of Compliance4. Through these companies, she has helped individuals and organizations around the world be their best and achieve world-class excellence with gratitude-based behavior and belief systems. She is one of America's foremost personal and corporate development consultants specializing in mindset, strategy, leadership and taking action.
Elizabeth is the author of the award-winning books The Change Guidebook: How to Align Your Heart, Truths, and Energy to Find Success in All Areas of Your Life (HCI Books) and Percolate: Let Your Best Self Filter Through (Hay House) and multiple children’s books as a contributor and author. Elizabeth and her husband live in Maine with their four sons, two dogs and three rescued cats.
Jill Devine invited Elizabeth on the podcast to discuss The Change Guidebook:
“The extreme demands of our modern world constantly challenge our alignment. I passionately believe that nearly everything revolves around our ability to manage our time and how we make or deal with change. Our attitude in how we approach each moment provides the insight to cherish them all with gratitude, no matter the happenings," Hamilton-Guarino says. "I wrote this book from my heart, truths and energy to yours to help you feel and be your best. As I share my own obstacles and victories in my life, I also welcome over 20 other contributors, who have also taken the time to share their stories with the world.”
By using the tools provided within this book, readers will experience the joy of living life as someone firmly grounded in values, anchored by a consistent moment-to-moment practice of gratitude. These principles have been widely used to achieve goals from changing careers to weight loss, becoming a college athlete, and more, and have been proven to change many lives.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/besteveryou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besteveryou/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethHamiltonG
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Jill Devine received an email from Christi Flynn, a Life Coach out of Edmonds, Washington. Christi was introduced to Jill through the Messy Mommies, Meg Tortorello and Holly Murer.
Christi heard Episode 58: Being A Messy Mommy Brings Togetherness and decided to email Jill:
As a working mother with two young children, I struggled mightily to balance my family and my work. Often, I would wake up short of breath, already anxious about the coming day. I was constantly multi-tasking and not doing a good job at anything. I wanted to be the supportive and loving partner to my husband who was building his own business. I wanted to be the creative and loving mother. I wanted to be the super-star professional. I just couldn’t do it. I was miserable.
I wish I had a life coach at that point. Someone to guide me and help me to tap into my gifts, my goals, my dreams. Years have passed now and through professional help, personal self-development, and a loving supportive husband I now live a different life. Yes, life can be very difficult, however now I know myself and I have tools that I use to cope. I know my own superpowers and I use them every day in my own life. I earned my coaching certification through Seattle Life Coach Training.
When I’m not coaching, I can be found swimming with friends in the pool or the Salish Sea, tending my garden, or traveling. I am a wife, mother of two young adults, and a sister, among many other roles in my life. I’ve been married to my college sweetheart Todd for close to 30 years. We live in Edmonds, Washington.
Take a listen to this week’s episode to hear some helpful tips on how to say no with zero guilt and check out Christi’s website for her latest blog post, “Learning to Say No”.
Inspirata Coaching Website: https://inspiratacoaching.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Inspirata-Coaching-110907250476510
IG: https://www.instagram.com/inspiratacoaching/
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Evoke Creative
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Why do women who’ve experienced a traumatic childbirth feel the need to share that experience, unsolicited, to a pregnant woman? That’s the last thing an expecting mama needs or wants to hear! Sometimes it’s hard to put up boundaries when you’re expecting, but this week’s guest had a few suggestions. Kerry Tuschhoff also discussed with Jill Devine the different birth plans available to expecting mamas, including hypnosis.
Kerry is the Founder/Director of Hypnobabies®. Hypnobabies is a very successful 6 week, 3-hours per week, complete childbirth education course that was adapted with permission from Master Hypnotherapist Gerald Kein’s “Painless Childbirth Program” techniques (medical grade, somnambulistic hypnosis). This allows Hypnobabies students to enjoy “eyes-open childbirth hypnosis”, easily remaining deeply in hypnosis while walking, talking and changing positions; being as mobile as they would like to be during childbirth. Hypnobabies is well-known for helping people create much shorter, easier and more comfortable labors, making childbirth the joyful experience it was meant to be.
Hypnobabies contact information:
714-898-BABY (2229)
https://www.facebook.com/Hypnobabies
https://twitter.com/Hypnobabies
https://www.youtube.com/user/Hypnobabies
https://www.instagram.com/hypnobabiesofficial_/
https://www.pinterest.com/hypnobabies/
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Evoke Creative
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Over the past five years, Mike and Kim Barnes found themselves navigating problems they never saw coming from their parents: Alzheimer's, pacemakers, COVID pneumonia, and the tough decision to move parents into retirement communities.
They've learned to balance the many facets of parenting aging parents, including medical, financial, everyday-life decisions, emotional rollercoasters, protecting their parents from scams, and more, all while parenting their college-age kids, and building their careers.
Mike & Kim each spent 30 years on TV. Kim's TV career includes 15 years as an award-winning reporter and news anchor and Mike's includes 29 years as an award-winning sportscaster.
They've realized that so many adult children go through the same trials with their parents, yet hardly anyone talks about it. Most struggle in silence. That's why they created a community to provide information, resources, and support. In this week’s episode with Jill Devine, Mike and Kim discussed the Parenting Aging Parents community and provided some conversation starters to help with difficult topics that need to be discussed with aging parents.
Social Handles: @parenting_aging_parents
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Elemental Esthetics
This episode is brought to you by Elemental Esthetics. When you call or text the following number (314-279-6069) to schedule your appointment, mention my name and you’ll get a special gift with your purchase.
Kelly Fabiano is a life coach that helps moms to end the tug-of-war between career, kids, and their identity outside of the role of “mom” so they can live a fulfilling, balanced life with room for them in it.
Through her signature coaching series, workshops and speaking engagements, Kelly empowers mothers to reconnect with themselves, stop operating from empty all the time, and live a life of their dreams, free from mom guilt. On this week’s episode, Kelly talked with Jill Devine about the events that led her to make the decision to become a coach.
Kelly's Website: http://www.kellylynnlifecoaching.com
Mom Life Reimagined Program Info: https://lifeanddeathwithkelly.com/lifecoaching
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellylynnlifecoaching/
Thought Cards: https://lifeanddeathwithkelly.com/21daystoyou
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Evoke Creative
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Victoria Nieveen RD, LDN, IFNCP joined Jill Devine on this week’s episode.
Victoria’s Bio:
I am a Functional Nutrition dietitian who specializes in women’s health. I graduated from Mizzou with my Bachelor's in Medical Dietetics, and currently a Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine Master's student at the University of Western States. Today, I help women with absent or irregular cycles nourish their bodies and balance their hormones, so that they can conceive. Unlike conventional protocols, I use a whole-body approach and faith-based coaching to help my clients reconnect with their bodies, regulate their cycles, and optimize their fertility. I use my experiences, both personally and professionally, to help women realize their story isn’t over yet. God has more in store for them. This means trusting their body again, cultivating a positive relationship with food, achieving their healthy hormone goals, and integrating all forms of wellness into their lives.
Here are some additional notes from the conversation:
Book Resource: The Fifth Vital Sign by Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
Follicular phase- the first day of your period to ovulation (first half of the cycle)
Ovulation- time when the ovary releases an egg
Luteal phase- time after ovulation until your next period (second half of the cycle)
Website: https://vn-nutrition.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flo.fertilitynutrition
Instagram: @flo.fertilitynutrition
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Elemental Esthetics
Rachel Bailey is a Parenting Specialist who has been serving families for more than 12 years. Besides being a mother of two, she also has master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, a certification in Positive Discipline, and has provided services as an ADHD Coach, in-home mentor, and therapist. Currently she provides parents with practical (long-lasting) tools for improving behavior, moods, and attitudes in their homes. Jill Devine invited Rachel on the podcast to discuss how to foster resilience in children with big emotions. Almost every family has at least one child with big emotions (and some parents are raising several children with them!). No matter the stage of parenting you’re currently in, you will walk away from this episode feeling inspired and equipped to think about the act of parenting in a much simpler way that leads to less stress AND feeling less guilty, releasing your own “Yuck”, too.
For more parenting tips from Rachel, you can check out her podcast, “Your Parenting Long Game”.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RachelBailey
Instagram: https://instagram.com/rachelbaileyparenting
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/rachelbailey Free video series: https://rachel-bailey.com/twokids/
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Evoke Creative
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Performance Mindset Coach, Jennifer Siess Gansner, understands the entire experience of the competitive athlete. In youth and young adult years, “Siess” was a multi-sport competitive athlete and official. She has years of experience coaching both competitive and recreational youth sports and co-founded a competitive soccer club.
And, she’s also the mother of four competitive athletes.
When it comes to all of the different roles in youth sports, Jen has been there and seen it all — so she founded “Mine To Define”, a coaching business built to help competitive athletic girls take charge of their performance, break down defining moments, create personalized strategies, and level up to win at sports and in life!
Take a listen to this week’s episode as Jennifer and Jill Devine discuss Mine To Define.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/CoachJenMTD
IG: https://www.instagram.com/coachjenmtd/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachJenMTD
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Elemental Esthetics - Check out The Salt Room, which helps with: Asthma, Allergies, Acne, Rosacea and Inflammation, Eczema, and Psoriasis. Also, the Infrared Sauna is something to check out too! Infrared panels heat the room and the body to create the sauna effect. What’s cool with infrared is that it heats the body BEFORE it heats the room! Infrared saunas are not set as hot as traditional ones and are a more effective treatment.
Do you know if your child’s school has clean drinking water? Julia Geskey is a clean water advocate with Environment Missouri, and she works to ensure there is safe, clean drinking water across the state. Right now, this means working to get the lead out of schools and childcare centers.
While this is an often-overlooked issue, it’s so important to make sure our kids are not being exposed to this toxic chemical at the place they go to learn and play every day. Environment Missouri just released a "Get the Lead Out" toolkit for parents, teachers, and community members. It includes a fact sheet, sample materials for taking action, and links to additional resources. Most importantly, the toolkit identifies new sources of funding available to school districts to prevent lead contamination.
On this week’s episode, Julia and Jill Devine discuss the harmful effects of lead and the ladies also discuss what parents can do to help advocate for their child.
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom tote from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Jane Timme of St. Peters, MO. Her daughter, Elise, nominated her:
My mom is my hero. She raised my brother and me as a single mom, struggling every month, but always made the best childhood for us. She has battled lung cancer by herself, working through her entire treatment and is now fighting lymphoma. She sold the house she's lived in for the last 30 years and moved a block away from me. I can imagine how hard that was, but I love having her close. She is the best mom and nana we could ever ask for. She loves us with her whole heart and is the person I turn to on the worst days to make things better. She's taught me to be strong and independent. She is the strongest momma I know, and I am so blessed to have her as a mom and best friend.
Jane - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
As an OB/GYN, Dr. Allison Walsh has spent her career caring for women across generations. Listening to women's struggles with untreated or under treated chronic pain, anxiety/depression, hormonal imbalance, and weight gain inspired Dr. Walsh to seek more comprehensive solutions for her patients' problems. Through this search, Dr. Walsh has become convinced of the importance of a multifaceted approach in treating weight gain; especially during peri-menopause. By integrating traditional pharmaceuticals and plant-based hormone replacement therapy with dietary and behavioral modification, Dr. Walsh has helped many women to overcome the underlying metabolic and hormonal dysfunction that renders sustainable weight loss in menopause seemingly impossible.
She has also seen firsthand the power of the endocannabinoid system and plant-based hormone balancing to relieve pain and dysfunction associated with conditions like anxiety, depression, insomnia, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, hot flashes, vaginal dryness and sexual dysfunction. Women's Lifestyle Solutions offers personalized coaching and integrative pharmacologic solutions to help women achieve wellness.
Prior to creating Women's Lifestyle Solutions, Dr. Walsh earned her BA at Washington University in St. Louis in Political Science. She completed her MD/MBA at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and The Wharton School respectively. Before joining Obstetrics and Gynecology Care LLC, Dr. Walsh completed OB/GYN residency at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. When not working, Dr. Walsh enjoys cycling, travel and spending time with her two children and husband.
In this week’s episode, Dr. Walsh and Jill Devine chat about Women’s Lifestyle Solutions and women’s health in general.
To make an appointment with Dr. Walsh, call 314.279.6069.
FB: @womenslifestylesolutions
IG: @stlwomenslifestylesolutions
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Elemental Esthetics
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Sarah Gardner is the Director of Marketing at Joovy, a global leader in premium juvenile, toy, and sporting goods products for babies through toddlers. Sarah is married to the founder and CEO, Rob, and they have three children together. For the last 16 years, Sarah and Rob have raised a business and family together. She’s worked in almost every area of the company over the years and is now leading the marketing team. Sarah spent her early years hiking the mountains of New England, where she fell in love with the outdoors.
She grew up with parents that instilled in her that she could do anything and everything she set her mind to do. She held numerous scholarship pageant titles as a teenager, worked for the World Cup Organization, and has been the driving force behind Joovy’s mission to be good to each other, good to the world, and good to the environment.
Joovy’s new initiative with the National Park Foundation brings awareness to the endangered animals living in the parks, especially the value of teaching our kids to connect to animals. Our kids are the next environmental stewards and as parents, we can empower them to have empathy and concern.
Did you know that the greatest threat to endangered animals is the destruction of their habitat? The best way to help is through education about these animals and their habitat. Please help support endangered animals by shopping Joovy’s National Park Collection. They will donate 5% of your purchase to the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. It’s never too early to start teaching kids to love animals and the outdoors.
Jill Devine invited Sarah to come on the podcast to talk in more depth about Joovy’s new initiative.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Joining Jill Devine this week on the podcast is bestselling author Frank Schaeffer:
“When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down our world, the forced sheltering in place with our families opened many people’s eyes to how we were meant to live. The only real “how to” for a happy life is simple and exists in our DNA: a meaningful, loving connection to others. We evolved to feel happiest when caring for others, not when seeking power over them.
As we move forward to a post-pandemic world, there is no better time than right now to rebalance our work and family lives in favor of love and living. In his new book, bestselling author Frank Schaeffer implores us to follow this directive: Fall in Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy.”
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
When Two Kids and A Career relaunched in 2020, Evoke Creative came on as a proud sponsor of the podcast. Jill Devine often talks about her experience with Evoke Creative and decided to dedicate an entire episode to the founders of Evoke Creative, Crystal Peterson and Tiffany Rovin.
Evoke Creative is a full-service branding and digital marketing company. They craft brand messaging and visual solutions for small business owners. Their marketing team is diversely skilled with backgrounds in business development, sales strategy, graphic and web design, photography, video marketing, copywriting, and content planning and creation. They can develop a clear brand message for any business, a website that drives results, and a marketing strategy that speaks to ideal customers. They grow brands and drive results by combining their skill sets and delivering creative designs and thoughtful marketing.
Crystal is a professionally trained graphic designer and has been working in the industry for 16 years. After many years as a successful invitation and freelance designer, she took on a new venture in 2017 and co-founded Evoke Creative. She has worked with hundreds of clients and has had the pleasure of bringing many small business dreams to fruition. She is a perpetual learner with a love for typography and color. She resides in Wichita, KS where she enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the beautiful Flint Hills.
In addition to being a creative partner at Evoke Creative, Tiffany has had a 20-year real estate career and founded an award-winning boutique-style real estate firm. She built a multi-million-dollar brokerage based in a midwestern town with a population of 502. All of which she did while living in and working remotely from California. Her entire professional career has had an emphasis on developing innovative marketing concepts that support entrepreneurs, elevate brands, and generate results.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evokecco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evokecco
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evoke-creative-co
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
When Jill Devine was told Morgan Stearn is a local gal with two little ones and is helping other women make their mark in a male-dominated industry, OH and loves chips and salsa as much as Jill, it was a no brainer to invite Morgan on the podcast!
Morgan graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in Human Environmental Sciences, specializing in Early Childhood Development and Education. After working for almost 4 years for St. Charles County’s Parents as Teachers Program, Morgan made the move over to the family’s general contracting business, Cissell Mueller Construction, Inc. Over her short 5-year career in construction, Morgan has implemented strategies and technology that has allowed the company to grow through a team project management approach and is now overseeing a team of 3 other project assistants. In addition to working hard to build on the company’s success, Morgan is juggling the balance of maintaining a social life while raising two little ones. As a female in the male-dominated construction industry, Morgan’s goal is to represent herself and her company with strength and intelligence while working to empower other women to do the same.
About Cissell Mueller Companies: Cissell Mueller Construction, Inc. is a full service, design/build, general construction company with our headquarters in St. Peters, Missouri and projects nationwide. Cissell Mueller Construction, Inc is licensed to complete work in 37 states, allowing us to travel with our clients. In 1992 the company was formed with the joined forces of Bob Cissell and Duane Mueller. Cissell Mueller Construction employs carpenters, laborers and equipment operators. This allows us to self-perform many of the proposed construction tasks rather than subcontracting the demolition, excavation and carpentry work. Our separate excavation company is run under the name of Site Environmental and Excavation, LLC. Having the capability to perform excavation work on a project gives us complete control from the project’s inception. Our sister company, Cissell Mueller Company, L.L.C. is a full service commercial real estate brokerage firm that has developed over 250 million dollars’ worth of commercial real estate the last 23 years.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-stearn-cmci
Facebook: @CissellMuellerConstruction
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
It’s the launch of Season 7, Episode 100!
After a long Holiday break, kids are heading back to school and parents may notice changes in their child's behavior: bed wetting, nightmares, frequent lying, difficulties with a sibling, depression surrounding Covid, mask anxiety, etc. This is where a professional can help with counseling and therapeutic play.
Jill Devine invited Kristen Craren to come on the podcast. Kristen is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Saint Louis, Missouri and owner of Greenway Therapy. She is determined to change the landscape of the counseling industry by setting a standard of care and communication with clients. Kristen wants therapy to be something people are comfortable to reach for when they need to. She values a home like counseling environment, so her therapy dog, Piper, comes to work which makes staff and clients feel comfortable.
On her off time, she can usually be found running or riding her bike around her hometown. Being in nature is a great way to relax and refresh before she goes back to work to help more people in the community.
Greenway Therapy has two locations: 230 S Bemiston Ave, Ste 920, Clayton, MO 63105 and 14805 Clayton Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017. The phone number is 800-353-6402.
https://www.facebook.com/greenwaytherapy
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
It’s that time of year where you start to see year-end lists and you begin to reflect on the past year. It’s also the time of year when you start to think about what’s next and what you would like to accomplish in the year that lies ahead.
Jill Devine took some time in this solo episode to chat about 2021 and things she has learned about herself and this podcast. One thing she is doing differently in 2022 is releasing new episodes bi-weekly instead of weekly. She explains the reason behind that decision in this week’s episode. Take a listen and then join her for Season 7, Episode 100 on Wednesday January 5th, 2022!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We can’t wait to get back to it in a couple of weeks!
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom tote from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to a bunch of ladies! Lindsay Erica made the nominations to:
Melissa Armbruster of St. Louis, MO, Ashley Weber of St. Louis, MO, Courtney Lord of Bethalto, IL, Courtney Tobin of Glen Carbon, IL, Cathy Burnham of Swansea, IL, Rachel Ponko of Indianapolis, IN, Courtney Scanlon of Edwardsville, IL, Abby Nadolny of St. Louis, MO
… and any mom out there who does the very best she can for her kids every day and at the end of the day still says, I’ll do better tomorrow! You all are amazing moms, and your kids are lucky to have you!
Ladies - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Dr. Amy Beacom and Sue Campbell joined Jill Devine this week on the podcast.
Dr. Amy Beacom is the founder and CEO of the Center for Parental Leave Leadership, the first full service consultancy in the US to focus exclusively on parental leave. She conceived of and began developing the field of parental leave coaching and consulting in 2006. Drawing on over 25 years in executive leadership development and coaching, Amy consults with Fortune 100 companies, international organizations, working parents, and more to transform the way our companies and our country engage with the parental leave transition.
Sue Campbell is a writer, author, and coach who has worked with the Center for Parental Leave Leadership since its early days, helping to communicate the transformative impact of their core mission. Her writing, often focused on issues important to parents, has been published in many outlets, including Prevention, Good Housekeeping, Scary Mommy, and Mamalode.
Amy and Sue co-wrote “The Parental Leave Playbook”, which helps parents take control of their leave and make the most of what’s considered a career time-out, but is actually a vital “time-in” for your work and life. If you’re an expecting or new parent concerned about how your leave and return plans will affect your visibility, candidacy for promotion, work relationships, and performance (not to mention your identity and home life), this book will guide you into the smoothest transition possible. Most importantly, this book will help you as you grow and strengthen yourself and your family while remaining a professional. If you are a leader or supervisor this book will give you insight into the employee experience and help you manage from a place of understanding, confidence, and skill.
Paid Leave for All is the national campaign of organizations fighting to win paid family and medical leave for all working people.
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cplleadership/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/centerforparentalleaveleadership
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cplleadership
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-parental-leave-leadership/
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Joining Jill Devine this week on the podcast is Sivan Hong. Sivan authors and illustrates the best-selling children’s book series The Super Fun Day Books, including “Benny J. and the Horrible Halloween”, “George J. and the Miserable Monday” and “Emily D. and the Fearful First Day”. Her inspiring books focus on neurodiverse children, who overcome their challenges with perseverance and bravery. Sivan also serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the Westport Public Library, the Rita Allen Foundation and the ASPCA.
When she’s not working, Sivan enjoys being a wife to her lovely husband and a mother to their two wonderful children. They have a dog and cat and live in Connecticut.
https://sivanhong.com/
IG @sivan_hong_author
FB @sivanhongauthor
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom tote from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Allie Corey of St. Louis, MO. Her friend, Jeanie, nominated her and said:
I am nominating Allie Corey for the Supermom Shoutout. 4 months ago, she had her second child. Having a baby and a toddler while working full-time is no easy feat. Can you imagine getting up in the middle of the night to take care of a baby and then having to be on television hours later? She makes it look so easy!
Allie - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Elemental Esthetics
It’s always nice to hear a different perspective when it pertains to parenting, which is one reason why Jill Devine invited Tommy Geary to be a part of the podcast. Tommy is a certified men's mindset coach and co-owner of We Embark, where he coaches dads to live a more fulfilled and adventurous life. Tommy and his wife, Brenda, operate We Embark together.
Tommy and Brenda are also parents to Nell. She’s three-years-old and keeps them on their toes!
Tommy helps other dads create more purpose and freedom in their lives and he talked about how he does that in this week’s episode with Jill.
IG - @tommyweembark
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Evoke Creative
With both pregnancies, Jill Devine would hear the same thing (unsolicited) from people, get ready to never sleep again! It was the most common topic everyone had an opinion on. Surprisingly since starting this podcast, Jill has never had a sleep expert on, until now.
Joining Jill this week is Nicole Johnson, a married mother of two wonderful boys, as well as the Lead Sleep Consultant and owner of The Baby Sleep Site® founded over 10 years ago.
From Nicole:
When my eldest son was a baby, he had a lot of sleep problems. Sleep like a baby? Yeah, right! You had better hope you never sleep like my baby did. He would wake up every one or two hours, all night long. I had to do so much to get him through the night.
By thoroughly researching the key literature and scientific reports, I became an expert in sleep methods, scheduling routines, baby’s development needs and more. I overcame my son’s sleeping issues in a way that matched my own parenting style, and knew it was my mission to help other tired parents “find their child’s sleep.”
I have also held a position on the board for the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants (IACSC) since 2015. The IACSC strives to ensure sleep consultants have an adequate background to be a professional sleep consultant. The IACSC also provides continuing education to its members in areas that influence sleep practices such as child psychology, nutrition, child development, and many others as it pertains to sleep.
Take a listen to this week’s episode to hear some practical advice from Nicole.
facebook.com/babysleepsite
instagram.com/babysleepsite
twitter.com/babysleepsite
pinterest.com/babysleepsite
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When it came time for Jill Devine to think about life after high school, she didn’t feel as if she had a clear understanding of what her purpose was or what she was passionate about. If only Greg & Beth Langston were around back then! Greg & Beth are the founders of the College Flight Plan.
Their focus is to empower students to master their self-discovery, allowing them to activate their life's purpose successfully. They guide teens to answer the following:
What are my core values, and how do I use them?
What are my strengths and weaknesses?
What is my purpose in life?
What are the college majors that best suit me?
What are my five-year and one-year goals?
Beth graduated from Purdue University in Education and has helped hundreds of students navigate the college application essays with tremendous success. Greg also graduated from the Purdue Krannert School of Business. Having led businesses in excess of $1 billion and worked in 65 countries, he has mentored hundreds of young professionals. Combining their backgrounds, they developed tools that provide a sense of clarity, confidence, and control for students.
A Parent Starter Kit is available to you at no charge.
https://www.facebook.com/collegeflightplan
https://www.linkedin.com/in/greglangston1
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom tote from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Amber of Columbia, MO. Her friend, Cassie, nominated her and said:
Amber is an incredible mother to sweet Lennon. After unimaginable birth trauma, Lennon sustained a hypoxic brain injury and spent many weeks in the NICU. At 5 months old Lennon continues to face many challenges including a recent diagnosis of Infantile Spasms. Amber has been an amazing advocate and works hard every day to help Lennon in any way she can. Amber is absolutely a Supermom. You can see more of Lennon’s story on their FB page “Lennon’s Yellow Brick Road”
Amber - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Elemental Esthetics
Andy Wiggins and Todd Larkin are the Co-Founders of Hearts & Hope for Uganda. The mission of Hearts & Hope for Uganda is:
To develop transformational relationships with the people of Uganda. To partner in the development of communities that would promote spiritual, physical, and socio-economic transformation.
Through Jill’s (and Andy & Todd’s) church, Messiah St. Charles, her family has been given an awesome opportunity to help a child in Uganda because of Hearts & Hope for Uganda. The boy Jill’s family is sponsoring is Derick Zigwanamuto in the village of Butogonha. You can follow along in their journey with Derick and Hearts & Hope for Uganda.
Since this is the first time Jill and her family have ever done anything like this, she thought it would be a good idea to have Andy & Todd on the podcast to talk through Jill’s questions because more than likely, others may have the same questions as Jill and her family.
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Evoke Creative
How many times have you heard being the parent of a teen is terrifying and difficult at the same time? There is hope and help.
Cameron (Dr. Cam) Caswell, PhD brings a wealth of information and experience to the table. She has a doctorate in developmental psychology, over 15 years coaching parents and mentoring teens, a certification in professional life coaching, and taught adolescent psychology at George Mason University. She’s also a mom of a teen too, so she not only talks the talk, she walks the walk!
“Teens act out because they feel misunderstood. Teens feel misunderstood because they ARE misunderstood. When we learn to understand our teens, we can remove their need to act out. We’re able to change our focus from reining them in to raising them up.”
Dr. Cam’s passion and purpose is to inspire and challenge families facing everyday problems to re-imagine their family dynamic and build a happier, healthier home life. Her belief is that teens act out when they feel misunderstood. And teens feel misunderstood because they are misunderstood.
In her bi-weekly podcast, Welcome to Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam, she guides you around the teenage land minds with practical tips, simple solutions, and words of encouragement. She’s also joined by experts, authors, parents, teens, and many other amazing guests.
In this episode with Jill Devine, Dr. Cam gives practical advice on how to navigate the teen years. She also provides examples on how we can start teaching ownership to young kids, so it helps set the kids up for success in their teen years.
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom tote from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Sarah of San Antonino, Texas. Her mother, Deb, nominated her and said:
My daughter, Sarah, has given up so much to provide for her four beautiful children. The last time she had a haircut at a salon was ten years ago and only because she was donating it to “Locks of Love.” I’m beyond proud of this Supermom.
Sarah - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Joining Jill Devine this week for the second time on the podcast is Erica Komisar. She was Jill’s guest on Episode 37: You Have A Small Window To Make A Huge Difference In The Mental Health and Well Being Of Your Child:
Through her research for the book Being There: Why Prioritizing Motherhood in the First Three Years Matters, Erica found at least 1 in 5 children have some form of mental illness. Mothers serve a critical biological function in a babies’ brain development.
Since that conversation, Erica has written another book, Chicken Little the Sky Isn’t Falling: Raising Resilient Adolescents in the New Age of Anxiety.
In these times of great stress for kids, resilience is not a given. The epidemic of mental health disorders in adolescents has made parenting even more challenging, but parents can still have an enormous impact on the health and well-being of their child. Chicken Little the Sky Isn’t Falling is a comprehensive guide that offers the tools you need as a parent to navigate this tumultuous time of change and create a continuous deep connection with your child. Covering topics including anxiety, depression, ADHD, behavioral issues, addiction to name just a few, it will help readers learn how to help prevent, recognize and address mental health disorders. Ms. Komisar offers compassionate and practical advice to parents on how to help their child with these issues if they occur.
In addition to discussing the details of Erica’s new book, Jill and Erica also discussed the different types of professional help for children and adolescents. Erica also provided a very important tip about utilizing the low fee referral services at Psychoanalytic Institutes, where you can get therapy for as little as $35 a session.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EricaKomisarLCSW
Instagram: @ericakomisar
Twitter: @EricaKomisarCSW
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Elemental Esthetics
Cynthia Kirkpatrick was Jill Devine’s guest in Episode 81: How Being A Better Version Of Yourself Will Help Others.
Cynthia connected Jill to Kathy Lambert:
For more than 23 years, Kathy Lambert has worked to disrupt the cycle of poverty with a holistic family approach. Her journey began in 1997 after she read an article about Dress for Success New York, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women re-enter the workforce by providing interview clothing. Recognizing a similar need in her St. Louis community, Kathy launched Dress for Success Midwest to help women coming from difficult circumstances achieve economic independence.
Kathy quickly learned about the challenges many low-income single moms face, including a lack of transportation and difficulty navigating social service and justice systems. To help address the need for transportation, Kathy’s husband, Brad, started Wheels for Success, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting individuals and families with reliable transportation. In 2001, Kathy and Brad merged their organizations to create Connections to Success (CtS) with the goal of breaking the cycle of poverty and incarceration for the next generation.
In January 2021, after 23 years at CtS, Brad and Kathy chose to step down as COO and CEO and begin a new adventure. KBL Impact Partners LLC was created to serve other nonprofits in developing strategic partnerships and collaborations necessary to grow, enhance organizational outcomes, and improve long-term sustainability.
In this week’s episode, Jill and Kathy discussed Kathy’s journey and the path she is on now.
kathy@kblimpactpartners.com
314-359-2524
https://www.facebook.com/kblimpactpartners
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-lambert-kblimpactpartners/
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Elemental Esthetics
Sara Chandler and Amie Littrell are the Founders of The Grace Period Transitional Housing Program (TGP). Amie and Sara realized many people in the St. Charles, Missouri area were either completely homeless or hotel-poor homeless. This led to the creation of TGP, which is a transitional housing program for the working homeless and/or at risk working homeless and was founded in November 2019.
TGP’s mission: To move adults and families who can't yet afford stable housing into self-sufficiency by utilizing transitional housing, high accountability, education and goal setting led by a family-like, faith-based team of staff and volunteers.
One of TGP’s major obstacles, they are 100% individually funded meaning they do not accept any federal or state government funding and the reason why is because TGP is trying to help those who are not eligible for state assistance.
Facebook: thegraceperiodinc
Twitter: thegraceperiod1
IG: thegraceperiodstc
Jill Devine sat down with Sara this week to learn more about TGP.
For St. Charles County residents, TGP is hosting their Boo Buckets fundraiser. They are $20 each and come with a drink, candy, kids’ activity, Halloween cupcake mix and small toys. They are delivered the night before Halloween.
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Evoke Creative
In Episode 77: Keeping Her Daughters Legacy Alive Through Acts Of Kindness, Genny Jessee joined Jill Devine to talk about the June Jessee Memorial Foundation.
In addition, she talked about June’s short time on this earth, as well as Genny’s perspective as a mother to a medically complex child and a mother to two healthy children.
Through the June Jessee Memorial Foundation, care packages are sent to families with children courageously facing medically complex conditions. Genny Jessee's team sent one of the care packages to Jill so Jill would understand how important these packages are to the caregivers. One of the items inside the care package was a workbook, Self-Love Workbook for Women: Release Self-Doubt, Build Self-Compassion, and Embrace Who You Are. The author of that workbook is Megan Logan, MSW, LCSW.
A little bit about Megan:
With 20 years of counseling experience, I have developed strong clinical skills in a variety of mental health settings. I have specialized training and experience working with mood disorders, grief/loss, eating disorders, sexual abuse, personality disorders, trauma and children/adolescents. I use a variety of clinical frameworks, including Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Play Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I am continually learning new techniques and interventions to provide the most effective and efficient therapy possible. While experience is essential in providing quality services, so is connection.
Jill has been digging through the workbook and knew other women would benefit from it, so she invited Megan on the podcast to talk through some of the things in the workbook.
IG: @meganloganlcsw
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Blondin Professional Real Estate
Blake Schofield is a mom of three kids who spent 18 years in Corporate America building, growing and turning around 8 and 9 figure businesses, including a $600 million dollar business at Target corporation & building a business from scratch at Stitch Fix that launched with over 75,000 women on a wait list. Despite enjoying parts of her career & having a lot of success, she would find herself going through cycles of feeling energized followed by feeling frustrated and unfulfilled. She seemed to be constantly searching for how she could do fulfilling work while having time for a more fulfilling, less stressful life.
Imagine a career you feel excited to wake up to every day. A career that fulfills ALL of your goals - financial, personal, and professional - and allows you to spend time with the people that matter most without having to start over or take a pay cut. That’s where The Bridge to Fulfillment comes in. Blake is the founder of Connections Illuminated, which is home to The Bridge to Fulfillment. The mission of Connections Illuminated is to change women's perspectives about what is possible, empowering them to create greater impact at home & at work without sacrificing their health, time, family, or income.
Blake also has a podcast called The Bridge to Fulfillment. This podcast is designed to change perspectives on what is really possible for women and help them to build a fulfilling career & life on their terms without taking a pay cut or starting over.
Take a listen to this week’s episode between Blake and Jill Devine for tips and advice on burnout, time management, fulfillment, and so much more.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-schofield/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebridgetofulfillment
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Elemental Esthetics
Becky and Greg Ortyl of St. Louis, MO welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Oakes Lee, to this world with open arms on March 10, 2011. Although Oakes was perfect in the eyes of those who loved him, he was born with a congenital heart defect. During his short 15 months of life, he endured several major procedures, including two open-heart surgeries and a double-lung transplant.
Throughout Oakes’ life, even when times became tough, the Ortyls felt very blessed to have so many resources and such wide-ranging support from family and friends. But they know that many families in similar situations are not nearly as fortunate. It is for these families that the Ortyls founded The Mighty Oakes Heart Foundation.
Our vision is families facing congenital heart defects have the freedom to be a family and have hope amidst the chaos. Our aim is not only to relieve financial burden – enabling them to be in the moment with their young warrior – but to listen, share, uplift and strengthen them as they march on.
Part of our mission is to "give families hope amidst the chaos" - in the world of heart defects, when kids are really sick and fighting for their lives, as parents the world can feel like total chaos. I think some of the normal, everyday stressors are amplified (paying bills + the normal hustle of life), yet small concerns that maybe you once worried about fall off your radar completely (those little silly things that we can obsess over - maybe buying clothes in the latest trend, or any concern that isn't essential).
Becky Ortyl is the Executive Director & Co-Founder of The Mighty Oakes Heart Foundation. She joined Jill Devine this week to discuss Oakes and the impact he made in the short amount of time he was on this Earth.
Also, if you’re from the St. Louis area, you’ve probably heard of the restaurant Olive + Oak. The “Oak” part of the name is after Oakes Ortyl. Becky explained more about that in the episode too.
becky@mightyoakes.org
314~374~5300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MightyOakesHeartFoundation/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW7zPCp92FaxRnzOtBj62yA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mightyoakesheartfoundation/
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Anna Sergunina, CFP®, is the President & CEO at MainStreet Financial Planning, a bi-coastal project based, fee-only financial planning firm with 5 offices in Maryland, Washington DC, NYC, SoCal & NorCal. She’s also the host of the Money Boss podcast.
From Anna:
“I passionately believe that in order to live a life of fulfillment and joy, we must genuinely serve each other in any way possible. I found my mission in life to serve others via financial planning.
Some of my biggest satisfactions in my career come from helping clients to understand what stops them from achieving their financial dreams and showing them to the right direction. For me, there is nothing more rewarding to hear how my service helped my clients buy a house, save for kids’ college, start a new business, travel around the world, and afford to retire early. That is how I get my “kicks” and that is what fuels my passion- realizing that I am a part of someone else’s life and that I help them realize their goals.
When I am not meeting my clients or traveling from West Coast to East Coast, you can find me at a Yoga studio, exploring San Francisco, volunteering for my local community or having a picnic on a beach with my husband.”
Jill Devine invited Anna on the podcast to discuss how busy moms can become the bosses of their own money, without spending an enormous amount of time on their finances.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-sergunina-cfp%C2%AE-5654a07/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna8sergunina/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anna.sergunina.9
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Elemental Esthetics
Did you know you can’t purchase diapers with food stamps? Diapers are classified with cigarettes, alcohol, and pet food as disallowed purchases. Thank goodness for the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank.
Muriel Smith is the Executive Director at the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and she joined Jill Devine this week on the podcast. The St. Louis Area Diaper Bank provides diaper access to the region’s low-income families, as well as raises community awareness about the causes and consequences of diaper need. The nonprofit is a member of the National Diaper Bank Network, a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to eliminating diaper need and “period poverty” in America. The St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies (STL APS) – a program created in 2019 by the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank – ensures access to menstrual hygiene products, which allows full participation in daily life with dignity.
To date more than 5.1 million diapers have been distributed in St. Louis including nearly 900,000 diapers during the height of the pandemic. Diapers cost approximately $1,000 per year to keep just one child in diapers, and a donation of $50 to the Diaper Bank provides a child with one month’s worth of diapers.
Here are some other facts you should be aware of:
*The nonprofit’s diapers are purchased directly with donated funds, as well as obtained via local diaper drives and in-kind donations.
*One in three families across the country experiences diaper need, and one in five St. Louis families with children under five lives at or below the poverty line. Since it costs more than $1,000 – approximately $100 per month – to diaper a child for a year, parents who earn minimum wage will spend up to 15% of their take home income on diapers.
*Diaper need impacts the physical, mental, and economic well-being of children and families.
*Infants typically need up to 12 diapers per day, and most childcare centers ask parents to provide diapers. Many parents can’t work or go to school based upon this requirement.
*Cloth diapers may seem like a viable option, but many families either do not have access to laundry facilities at their home or own a vehicle to utilize a laundromat.
*In addition to parents limiting their child’s liquid intake, 64% of Diaper Bank moms report leaving their child in soiled diapers longer than they should to make their supply last.
*Last year two-thirds of low-income women in St. Louis cannot afford menstrual hygiene products, with 46% of low-income women having to choose between food and period products.
msmith@stldiaperbank.org
(314) 624-0888
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Richard Capriola spent 11 years working as an addictions counselor for Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas before retiring in 2019. Menninger Clinic is one of the top ten psychiatric hospitals in the United States and specializes in the assessment, stabilization and treatment of adults and adolescents with substance abuse and psychiatric disorders. During his tenure there he worked in the Adolescent Treatment program and the adult Comprehensive Psychiatric Assessment and Stabilization program. Working closely with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses he was responsible for comprehensive assessments and individual and group counseling with patients diagnosed with substance use disorders.
Through his experience at the Menninger Clinic, he was able to write a book for parents regarding substance abuse, The Addicted Child: A Parent's Guide to Adolescent Substance Abuse.
The Addicted Child is a roadmap for parents on adolescent substance abuse. If your child uses alcohol or drugs, you know how it affects your family. These substances enter your child’s brain and change their behavior. You want to help your child, but where do you begin? The Addicted Child is your roadmap. Learn what makes adolescent addiction different. How drugs can change your child’s brain and behaviors. The assessments and tests you should insist upon. And more.
If you have questions or issues you’re interested in hearing more about, email Jill Devine: hello@jilldevine.com and she will put you in touch with Richard.
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Blondin Professional Real Estate
This week’s guest is Jerrica Dennison. Jerrica is a fellow podcaster and is the host of She Has a Name Too. Jill Devine met Jerrica through Jerrica’s brother, Alex. Alex is also a fellow podcaster and is the host of Broken Blubs.
Alex invited Jill to be on his podcast and then he suggested Jill be on Jerrica’s podcast and then Jill thought Jerrica should be on Two Kids and A Career and that’s exactly what transpired. When Jill asked Jerrica what topic Jerrica felt most compelled to discuss, Jerrica said:
I would love to discuss the importance of having good mom friends. If you're the first of your friends to have a baby or you have recently moved, the transition into motherhood can be especially difficult without a support group already in place. I had my daughter around the same time as a lot of my friends, but we lived in a different country. (I grew up in Canada) 6 weeks before my daughter was born, we moved from Utah to Southern California and knew essentially no one. Two years later, now living in Tennessee, I have finally found a group of women who share my season. It certainly wasn't easy, but I'd love to share some tips that might help women who are in need of a friend.
Check out this week’s episode to hear Jerrica’s tips on creating community with other women.
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Evoke Creative
Cynthia Siess Krikpatrick is the 2nd recipient of a Supermom Shoutout to end up being a guest on the podcast. The first was Genny Jesse and her Supermom Shoutout was featured in Episode 72: How Work-Life Balance Can Be Obtained with Cherylanne Skolnicki.
Then, Genny joined Jill Devine on Episode 77: Keeping Her Daughters Legacy Alive Through Acts Of Kindness.
Cynthia and Jill went to college together at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. The two have continued to grow their friendship with one another, but lately they have really bonded over being working moms and wanting to support other moms who are feeling the strain of trying to manage it all. In addition, the two women are trying to preach the importance of a positive mindset, along with the self-care needed to keep that mindset intact.
Here are some of the things you will hear in this week’s episode:
*Self-care advice from Episode 68: Taking Care Of Your Postpartum Mind And Body with Jamie Kocher
*Paying other women compliments
*The true definition of an introvert
*Handwritten thank you notes
*You can’t make up someone else’s story
*Making a difference in one person’s life and in your own life
*You can’t start unless you start
*Share positivity across all platforms of your life
*A year+ running journey
*Contributing to the book, “Owning Your G.R.I.T.: 40 Women’s Stories of Harnessing the Power of Growth, Resilience, Intention, and Tenacity”
*Her professional life as a Moneta Group Advisor
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Meg of Shorewood, Illinois. Her friend, Sandhya, nominated her and said:
Meg is a very busy businesswoman, but I really love the way she handles her day-to-day life and making sure everything is done at the best way for her adorable twins Stella and Sophia. No matter how busy her schedule is, she makes a point to patiently get everything done the way her kids want. She has this amazing energy throughout the day, no matter how exhausting her schedule is. Every day I see her, and she always has this amazing smile that brightens my day and pushes me to believe anything is possible. For me… she’s more than a Supermom.
Meg - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
This is a milestone episode for the podcast! Episode 80! Jill Devine wanted to celebrate the milestone episode with someone who is also hitting lots of milestones and that’s Kelly Suntrup Stumpe, A.K.A. The Car Mom.
Kelly joined Jill on Episode 48: A Local Mom's Desire To Help Other Moms Is Going Viral. You can listen to that episode to get a better understanding of what The Car Mom is all about, but if you need a refresh:
The Car Mom is dedicated to empowering moms and families to make the most informed and confident decision when car shopping. We want to create a positive car buying experience for both the female consumer and the dealership by dismantling outdated stereotypes between the two and changing the narrative of a traditionally male dominated industry.
Since that episode aired, a lot has happened with Kelly and her business. She had her second baby, she created a private Facebook group for her followers, she’s increased the number of tours and reviews that are released on a weekly basis on YouTube, she created a Car Shopping Workbook, she’s dealt with a lot of “haters”, and so much more! Take a listen to hear all about what’s been happening with The Car Mom!
Instagram & YouTube: @the_car_mom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecarmom
Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2701177066767133
Website: https://www.thecarmomofficial.com/
Workbook: https://thecarmomofficial.myshopify.com/collections/car-shopping-workbook
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Jennifer Warmann-Bloss joined Jill Devine on this week’s episode. Jennifer is a licensed Esthetician, CEO of Elemental Esthetics and Blogger and has been working on clients since 2001. Being educated in Boston at one of the top Esthetics Schools in the country, the Catherine Hinds Institute, sets her base education apart from the average esthetician in St Louis. She prides herself on maintaining her education ongoing and additionally keeping you, the client, educated as well on the latest innovations in anti-aging.
Her approach to services is to truly create a customized experience for anyone who comes through her doors. She doesn’t simply follow the same protocols for all but instead develops a program designed to make you look your personal best. With personalized facial services, lasers, peels and more, she has all the tools necessary to make you look amazing. Additionally, Jennifer comes from a professional background with previous work experience in the high-tech world. She helped build and develop some of the first car dealer websites in the 90’s when the internet was just developing, worked in e-mail marketing software and worked with predictive modeling software with Fortune 500 companies. This professional understanding of technology helped her greatly as she began to educate herself on lasers and many other business arenas of esthetics.
On July 8th from 9:30-11:30am the Emsculpt bus will be in the Elemental Esthetics parking lot giving you an opportunity to try the Emsculpt at no cost to you. Emsculpt builds muscle and kills fat in areas like the abs, glutes, arms and more without pain or downtime. In honor of the bus being at Elemental Esthetics, they will be running Emsculpt on sale for all of July but a SPECIAL price on July 8th only to get you started with this great technology!
Elemental Esthetics
777 South New Ballas Rd, Suite 302W
St Louis, MO 63141
314-279-6069
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This is a Supermom Shoutout first! Five amazing young women are getting the shoutout this week. I'm nominating Dorothy, Erica, Meg, Sarah, and Victoria:
Dorothy, Erica, Meg, Sarah, and Victoria met each other in September of 2019 as part of their Messiah Lutheran Church’s Community Group launch. Since that initial meeting, they've been through ups and downs which have only made their bond that much stronger. God's timing was truly everything because each of the women now having something else to bond them closely to one another. Each woman is pregnant or has recently had a baby. To be able to share such a pivotal moment in their lives with one another is a blessing.
Dorothy, Erica, Meg, Sarah, and Victoria - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
With 4th of July right around the corner, it doesn’t hurt to have a refresher course on safety tips when it comes to fireworks. Jill Devine enjoys fireworks from afar, but a firework incident from her childhood has left her less than confident when it comes to handling fireworks.
Rob Cima is the VP of Missouri Pyrotechnics Association (MOpyro), a father of three and a huge proponent of fireworks safety. In addition to providing safety tips for adults, children and pets in this week’s episode, Rob also discussed an event coming up in September, Sky Wars! It’s the nation’s largest fireworks competition to feature top pyrotechnicians:
Sky Wars—from the creators of the original Pyromania—will hold its 16th annual invitational fireworks championship on Saturday, Sept. 25. Gates open at 2 p.m., and the fireworks show begins at 7:30 p.m. The event is in partnership with the developers of Innsbrook and will be held at The Village of Innsbrook Fireworks Field located at 13604 State Highway M in Wright City, MO. The more than two-hour long fireworks championship will feature invitation-only pyrotechnicians who are among the nation’s top fireworks choreographers. Up to 10 highly skilled teams will create award-winning pyromusicals—or “concerts in the sky”—which combine the artistry of music and pyrotechnics. Sky Wars will feature The Fireball Dudes, who hold a world record for their signature gasoline fireballs. A wide variety of food and beverages will be available for purchase. Sky Wars’ nonprofit partners include Concerned Citizens for Animal Care of Warren County and its “Raise the Woof” campaign plus a canned food drive at the show to benefit Operation Food Search and AGAPE. Tickets range from $30 to $40 per person for general admission and $145 to $160 for an all-inclusive VIP ticket. Children five and under are free. To purchase tickets or for further information, call (314) 730-0793 or visit Sky Wars website.
Websites: www.skywarsevent.com and https://www.celebratesafely.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywarsevent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skywarsevent/
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Sue of Wentzville, MO. Her daughter, Cassie, nominated her and said:
My mom is amazing! She doesn’t have little kids or a career anymore, but she when she had a career, she was also taking care of 3 kids and she didn’t skip a beat. She babysat most of the neighborhood kids until they all started kindergarten. She is the person who taught me to be the wife and mother I have always wanted to be. She is my best friend. Plus, she’s been amazing this past year with my father’s illness, which unfortunately, led to him passing away recently. They were married for 50 years.
Sue - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
This week’s guest received a Supermom Shoutout in Episode 72: How Work-Life Balance Can Be Obtained. Here’s what her nominator, Allison, said:
Genny Jessee is a Supermom in more ways than one! As co-founder and executive director of the June Jessee Memorial Foundation, she passionately supports children with medically complex, neurological conditions and their families. She tirelessly continues to find ways to bring needed resources and financial assistance to these families and has created a supportive and understanding community to provide comfort on their journeys battling complicated diagnoses. Genny does this all in loving memory of her daughter, June, who passed away shortly before her 4th birthday in 2016 due to complications of her own rare neurological condition. Genny’s personal courageous journey as June’s mom is very inspiring in itself, and she spreads so much love to others every day while also caring for her 2 little boys, June’s younger brothers, George and Peter.
Based on that nomination, Jill Devine knew she had to have Genny on the podcast to talk about the June Jessee Memorial Foundation. Genny also talked about June’s short time on this earth, as well as her perspective as a mother to a medically complex child and a mother to two healthy children. Unfortunately, it takes the loss of a loved one for some to change their perspective on the petty stuff. Genny mentioned that and Jill brought up Episode 64: A Widower's Advice On Living Life To The Fullest, where Brandon Janous talked about losing his wife to breast cancer. The loss of his wife has shifted his way of thinking and has made him embrace life even more.
Genny and her husband are doing all they can to keep June’s legacy alive, while supporting and caring for others in the same situation they were in.
“And since all this loveliness can not be Heaven, I know in my heart it is June.” – Abba Woolson
Instagram: @thejjmf and @genny.jessee
Facebook: @junejessee
Twitter: @JuneJesseeMF
Email: info@junejessee.org
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Kelly of Weldon Springs, MO. Her friend, Jaime, nominated her and said:
Hey, I want to nominate Kelly as your Supermom! She is a dear friend, who's been through a difficult few years. She continuously finds ways to better herself and be an example that her daughter can admire. She is her daughter's champion and will move heaven and earth to make sure her daughter knows how loved she is. She is a single mom that works full time during the week and has taken on a second job on weekends helping with Covid vaccinations. All of this being said, the thing I most admire about her as a "Supermom" is that she doesn't sweat the small stuff and makes time for LOTS of laughs, big huge bellowing laughs that are contagious.... that she inherited from her mother (Debbie), that will now be forever engrained within three generations.
Kelly - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Caryn Dugan, A.K.A. STL Veg Girl, is back for a repeat visit on the podcast. She joined Jill Devine on Episode 23: Tips On Immune Boosting Foods and Cancer Prevention and in that episode, Caryn discussed losing her Dad to cancer in 2008 and 10 weeks after his passing, she was diagnosed with cancer. She decided to take matters into her own hands and started researching immune boosting diets and cancer prevention tips. All searches led to a plant-based diet. Fast forward, those searches lead to Caryn opening the Nation’s first ever Center for Plant-Based Living!
Since that episode aired, Jill and Caryn have grown their friendship and support for one another. A couple of blog posts mentioned in the episode this week can be found here:
Small Business Shoutout: STL Veg Girl
Throwback to earlier this year
Other exciting this happening for STL Veg Girl include:
Please visit any of the 15 Crazy Bowls & Wraps locations and ask for the STL Veg Girl SMOKEY MEDITERRANEAN SAUCE.
The Center for Plant-Based Living's Virtual Community Support Club is live! This is a simple, but carefully thought-out memberships that offers access to a lot of resources which are presented in easily digestible pieces. There’s even an accountability piece to help keep you on track.
If you're in the St. Louis area, in-shop classes are back! New classes are added monthly!
FB: @STLVegGirl
IG: @STL_Veg_Girl
FB: @centerforplantbasedliving
IG: @Plant_based_center
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Trisha of Wentzville, MO. Her friend, Kasey, nominated her and said:
It is my pleasure to nominate my childhood friend Trisha. Trisha is a single mom of two amazing kiddos. Her beautiful daughter was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, so they as a family are learning how to manage her new routine. Trisha received news after finding a lump in her breast and after her doctors did several tests that she had Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer. She has been documenting her fight and showing so much strength. She continues to share her knowledge and help us to understand the importance of doing self-breast exams and getting an annual mammogram. I am so proud of my friend for her courage and pray to God for hope and healing in her name.
Trisha - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Sean Rademeyer and Jill Devine have been friends since high school. Although they were more of acquaintances and knew of one another through mutual friends. Like most people, Sean and Jill stayed up to date with one another through social media. Jill knew Sean struggled with substance abuse, but she didn’t know the extent of the struggle.
Sean heard Episode 45: A Widow Talks About Her Husband's Mental Illness and it struck a chord because he was friends with Corey Schuster, the husband discussed in the episode. Sean reached out to Jill and said he was ready to discuss his 10-year substance abuse and co-dependency recovery journey if Jill was willing to share his story. Of course, Jill said yes.
Resources -
Midwest Health Center Suboxone Doctors:
This is one resource for people suffering from opiate addiction. This is a first step before entering a program of recovery. It’s a lot safer than people buying drugs on the street. But it’s not a cure all. Wellness comes from admitting one has a problem and adopting recovery as a way of life.
Centerpointe Hospital:
For mental health and addiction recovery, including alcoholism and abuse recovery. This is the beginning of recovery where detox happens and a time of preparation in rehab educating one of their illness. It gives a patient an opportunity to step away out of life, stop using, and informs them of what needs to be done to maintain their sobriety. Very educational and a very necessary step on the road to recovery.
Alcoholics Anonymous:
People that don’t go to rehab or don’t have insurance would want to explore this option. Free rides to meetings are also available here. Most importantly, an opportunity and means to get to know God, which is the dilemma of all alcoholics. They are their own higher power running their life on self-will without God. The program is designed to break down all of the barriers that stand in the way of a relationship and truly knowing God in their life and how reliable he is.
Al-Anon:
For Family members living with someone effected by addiction and alcoholism. To be included, but often not mentioned, is help to those who grew up in alcohol or abusive homes. People in these situations get sick themselves living in close proximity to someone suffering from addiction. They take on a whole set of beliefs and behaviors that makes their lives miserable. The program isn’t designed to teach them how to save their loved one, it’s designed to get them to place that teaches them how to stay well in that situation and what’s within their power to do in these situations. Most people make things much worse and the correct course of action to emerge victorious in this is contrary to what we believe help looks like. People need education and support to overcome this difficult life circumstance. Addiction and alcoholism around them doesn't have to destroy their peace and serenity. It’s a learning process and the primary goal of Al-Anon. The alcoholic doesn’t usually like when the family member joins Al-Anon because their primary enabler’s behavior starts to change. People learn how to take their life back and set boundaries and say no. Empowering!
Harris House
Bridgeway
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Ashley of O’Fallon, MO. Katie nominated her and said:
Hey Jill! I would love to nominate Ashley!! I think she is an unbelievable Supermom for many reasons! She had one child when she met her now husband. He had 4 children and she has NEVER thought of them as “step kids”. So anytime anyone asks her how many kids she has, without any hesitation she says, “we have 5 kids”. She loves them like her own unconditionally. She is a working mom of 5 kids and went back to school and just graduated with a nursing degree and won the patient advocacy award. She is an amazing coworker and even better friend, and I couldn’t be more proud of her!
Ashley - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
For the first time on the podcast, this week’s guest is making her return for the third time! Michelle Gauthier (formally Michelle Lynchard) was on Episode 24: A Mom’s Guide To A Calm Holiday Season and Episode 25: Tips On How To Bring More Calm To Your Life During A Pandemic.
Jill Devine invited Michelle to come on for a third time to discuss a recent email Michelle sent to her subscribers. Here’s that email:
Jill,
Last week, my 13-year-old made a snide comment at dinner about my cooking. He looked over at me expecting me to laugh and looked horrified when he saw tears welling in my eyes. “No, mom! Are you about to cry? I was just teasing! You’re the best. Please stop. I’m so sorry!” But I couldn’t stop. It was the straw that broke this camel’s back at the end of a long week. I cried all the way through kitchen clean up.
Like any self-respecting Life Coach would do, I picked up my journal to find out what those tears were all about. As I wrote, I realized that I was looking for my kids to validate me.
Ha!! KIDS DON’T DO THAT! I mean, we all get the occasional “Thanks Mom, you’re the best!” but we simply cannot count on children to validate our love, dedication, and general awesomeness. We have to do that for ourselves.
The same goes for bosses, employees, spouses, friends, and every other person on the planet.
If you wait for your boss to tell you that you’re doing an amazing job, you might be waiting forever. You have to tell yourself.
If you walk into work thinking, “I wish my employees could see how hard I’m working to make their jobs easier” just change that thought to “I'm proud of myself for working hard to make my employees’ jobs easier.”
Want your hubby to tell you he’s proud of your accomplishments? Nope. Tell YOURSELF. Write yourself a note. Tell yourself everything you’d want him to say but say it to yourself.
As for me, I reviewed all of the things I’d done that week for my kids and I was damn impressed with myself. I bought myself a Super Mom mug to prove it. I’m a Super Mom. Just ask me.
In addition to the above email, the ladies also discussed readjustment to “normal life” post COVID as Michelle had some helpful advice and tips.
Email: michelle@michellegauthier.com
Website: michellegauthier.com/more
IG: @michellegauthiercoaching
FB: Michelle Gauthier Life Coaching
LinkedIn: Michelle Gauthier
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Fatima of Brazil. Her daughter, Clara, nominated her and said:
There is no doubt my mom is a Supermom in all aspects! She has always been an example for me, no matter if it's professionally or personally. She has always been by my side, and she is the #1 person I go to whenever I need a hug, some encouragement, or just a reality check. We have always been more than mother and daughter. If you've seen the TV show Gilmore Girls, that's pretty much sums up the two of us! She taught me so much about everything in life and I just hope that one day I can be half of the woman and mom she is.
Fatima - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
This week’s episode may be considered risqué to some. Jill Devine’s hope is to use this platform to talk about the positive uses of medical marijuana and also provide education to those who would like to learn more about medical marijuana. Please understand this episode is intended to be an educational piece. Always seek the advice of a physician with any questions regarding a medical condition.
Jill invited Dr. Jamila Owens-Todd’s on the podcast to discuss medical marijuana. Dr. Jamila Owens-Todd’s career path started with studying the sciences at the University of Missouri-Saint Louis. Jamila completed her university education by obtaining Bachelor degrees in both, Chemistry and French. As a Chemist, she has worked for private industry; government, at the Food and Drug Administration and within the pharmaceutical industry, at a top pharmaceutical company in the Research and Development Department. As a Chemist, she worked with many innovations in pharmaceuticals and understands the method-of-action of plant medicines. Jamila has had significant experience working with controlled substances and understands the care and compliance with dispensing such medicines. Jamila is currently a member of the Minority Cannabis Business Association. She has maintained a successful herbal dispensary in her practice, dispensing CBD and hemp related products. Jamila has recently started formulating her very own hemp/CBD tinctures, using high-quality, Colorado-grown hemp. As an educator, continuing education has been a consistent principle within her practice and provides for her continued knowledge, growth and healing capabilities. Further training has been pursued in many areas of herbal medicine and specifically with The Medical Cannabis Institute (TMCI), ECS Therapeutics and in extensive Integrative Cannabis Modules for Practitioners. She holds multiple cannabis education trainings. Jamila is also Certified and Trained to work in a Medical Cannabis Dispensary.
She has joined the BeLeaf Medical team, which is the FIRST vertically integrated medical cannabis company with cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensing locations open and operating. Phytos, their manufacturing brand, passed an extensive series of required inspections from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to commence on their first of two awarded manufacturing licenses granted earlier this year. Phytos is proud to have a female-led team of strong, diverse women managed by Chief Science Officer Dr. Stephanie Cernicek, a PhD Chemist, Research and Development Manager, Dr. Jamila Owens-Todd, ND and Partner Mitch Meyers. BeLeaf Medical is home to SWADE dispensaries, which is 100% focused on education and health: We firmly believe that education is what will transform America’s relationship with cannabis. That’s why we lead with education in everything we do. From the evidence-based science that informs our product development, to our informative approach to customer care at our dispensaries, our goal is to increase the public’s awareness of the ways cannabis can both serve and soothe us.
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Angie of St. Louis, MO. Her husband, Josh, nominated her and said:
Angie is a Supermom and a half! She grinds every day, especially when she was traveling. She has to take care of actual children (3 to be exact) and then is a wonderful care giver to a sometimes-needy husband. She’s a successful corporate gal and like I said, grinds every day.
Angie - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Cherylanne Skolnicki is an authority on wellbeing, work-life balance, and human potential. Cherylanne grew up wanting to be a Fortune 500 CEO and started her career at Procter & Gamble where she worked for 15 years before founding The Brilliant Balance Company.
Brilliant Balance helps professionals get the most out of work and life through compelling content, comprehensive coaching programs, and a tightly knit community. As the founder and CEO, Cherylanne is the creative engine for the company; she is also a popular speaker, an advisor to corporate leaders, and a trusted coach to a roster of private clients. Cherylanne hosts the top-rated Brilliant Balance Podcast which reaches thousands of listeners each week with inspiring messages and practical advice.
In this week’s episode, Jill Devine explained to Cherylanne the word balance is getting a bad rap because many people will say balance doesn’t exist. Cherylanne said there’s one image that has caused this way of thinking and she explained what that image is in the episode. The ladies also talked about Jill’s word for 2021, which is self-care and how that looks for Jill. Cherylanne gave some tips on daily practices to help with self-care tips.
Cherylanne has a freebie for you. Our lives are so busy and it’s hard to manage all the things going on. With calendar control, you can align your time with your priorities and turn your TO DO List into a DONE list.
FB: @cherylanneskolnickiofficial
IG: @cskolnicki
IG: @brilliant_balance
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Genny of St. Louis, MO. Allison nominated her and said:
Genny Jessee is a Supermom in more ways than one! As co-founder and executive director of the June Jessee Memorial Foundation, she passionately supports children with medically complex, neurological conditions and their families. She tirelessly continues to find ways to bring needed resources and financial assistance to these families and has created a supportive and understanding community to provide comfort on their journeys battling complicated diagnoses. Genny does this all in loving memory of her daughter, June, who passed away shortly before her 4th birthday in 2016 due to complications of her own rare neurological condition. Genny’s personal courageous journey as June’s mom is very inspiring in itself, and she spreads so much love to others every day while also caring for her 2 little boys, June’s younger brothers, George and Peter.
Genny - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Welcome to the launch of Season 6! Jill Devine wanted this week’s guest to be part of the launch of Season 6 because behind the scenes, Lisa Webb approached Jill about being a part of the Supermom Shoutout.
Lisa is the Owner & Creator of Addy’s Way! She started her jewelry business in 2010 while living in Houston, Texas. Through the years, and two moves, Addy's Way has continued to grow and change to stay with the current trends. In 2020, they added a new channel to the AW brand, AW Apparel. Lisa asked Jill if she could customize a t-shirt for the Supermoms that get a shout out with the Supermom Shoutout. Being a mom is hard work and Lisa thought these moms needed a visual to remind them they are seen and supported.
In this episode, Lisa and Jill talked in detail about the importance of supporting and lifting women up, as well as:
*Having someone in your life a season ahead of you
*Being a part of the “Sandwich Generation”
*Doing the best you can
*Choosing to have a good attitude
*Listening to what God is teaching and telling you
IG: @addysway
FB: https://www.facebook.com/addyswayjewelry
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout, brought to you by Addy’s Way. Each recipient will receive a custom designed Supermom t-shirt from Addy’s Way, in addition to the Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Eryn of O’Fallon, MO. Her friend, Lisa, nominated her and said:
It’s my privilege to nominate my amazing friend, Eryn, for the Supermom Shoutout! Eryn is a single mom to Donovan, Giavanna, Cimone & Devereux. I admire how hard she works to provide for her babies. Eryn works all day and runs all night from practice to practice keeping her kids involved in the activities they love. She’s an amazing mom that deserves all the shout outs and recognition she can get!
Eryn - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
This week’s episode is the last episode of Season 5! Mark your calendars, Season 6 will launch on Wednesday, May 12th. Joining Jill Devine on the final episode of Season 5, the authors of The Cow Cocoon, Maria Price and Rachel Nolen:
Our daughters met in seventh grade which led to a cherished friendship. They brought us together. Yet, it was our values, devotion to family and a flair for fun that has created our amazing friendship.
While reminiscing on funny anecdotes about our children, Maria mentioned the Cow Cocoon. She was on a trip with her children when her youngest daughter saw a bale of hay. She asked her brother what it was and he replied that it was a cow cocoon. Accepting the wisdom of her older brother, she always believed that a cow cocoon was a possibility.
Always looking for opportunities to try new things to challenge us, we decided to write this book. During this journey, we never realized the impact that this book would have on our lives.
Each of us has experienced many challenging and sad situations over the years. Without the comfort we received from our cocoons, it would have made difficult situations impossible to handle alone.
We hope you discover your cocoon!
Besides discussing the book, this week’s conversation also focused on:
*Talking to your kids about their emotions and feelings. Demonstrate active listening and allow their feelings to have a place to go.
*The book, How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen
*Each stage in development presents its own challenges.
*Parents are harder on other parents and there’s a lot of judgement taking place. We need to be kinder to one another as parents.
IG: @thecowcocoon
FB: @thecowcocoon
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout is a self-nomination! The Shoutout goes to Lucie. She lives in St. Charles and is from Montreal, Canada:
I don’t know if I’m a Supermom or not. The first time I went through breast cancer, I had 7-year-old and 8-year-old daughters. I’m battling cancer 17 years later and having to reassure the girls again, but now they are all grown up and understand what is going on.
Lucie - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Self-care is the word Jill Devine chose for 2021. She’s still trying to figure out how self-care looks for her but talking to people like Dr. Amy Horn helps with defining what and how self-care can look.
Dr. Amy Horn is a Family Wellness Chiropractor at her practice, Abundant Health STL, in Arnold, MO. Her goal is help people abundantly live and not be numb. She’s a member of SLiiM (St. Louis Institute of Integrative Medicine), which is the best resource for top functional medicine in STL. Amy’s ultimate dream/goal is to open a wellness center in the Arnold, Mo area.
When it comes to self-care, Amy offered up these suggestions:
*It’s about who AND what you’re filling your bucket with.
*You have to do the work, not just talk about it.
*Don’t listen to everyone’s opinion. Only turn to people you truly trust and who will be honest with you.
*Stop playing the comparison game with others.
In addition to being a business owner, Amy has three children: a son in college, a son in high school and a daughter in high school. The title of this episode, “How Do You Know I Love You?” was a quote by Amy. That question was a valuable lesson to her as a parent, as well as a turning point in raising her kids. When Amy explained why, it became a pivotal moment for Jill, and you’ll hear why when you take a listen to this week’s episode.
Facebook: Abundant Health Chiropractic STL
IG: @abundanthealthstl
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Nan of St. Charles, Missouri. Two weeks ago, Nan nominated Steph of St. Charles. Steph’s daughter, Addie, chimed in and agreed with the nomination, which led to Nan also nominating Addie. That nomination led to Addie nominating Nan. So, it’s coming full circle with the initial nomination from Nan! Here’s what Addie said about Nan:
Nan, I nominate you right back! You’re a career-driven, family focused, incredible friend, and incredible person overall. You handle stress with such a level head and ALWAYS know how to approach life with a wide lens into the future. I’m so grateful to call you my friend.
Nan - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Empowering and connecting women are the goals of this week’s guest. Jamie Kocher stumbled across Jill Devine’s podcast through Episode 59: The Overwhelming Support From Other Mamas and Small Business Owners with Kaci Bruek. Jamie is friends with Kaci and once Jaime heard Episode 59, she started following and supporting Jill on social media.
Jamie is a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in pelvic health and pregnancy/postpartum fitness. She has two girls (almost 9 and 6 years old), plus 3 angel babies. Jamie’s brand, Moms Made Strong, exists to give women safe and effective workouts during and after pregnancy, but also leave them feeling confident, strong, and empowered.
IG: @momsmadestrong
FB Group: Moms Made Strong
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Addie of St. Charles, Missouri. In last week’s episode, Nan nominated Steph of St. Charles. Steph’s daughter, Addie, chimed in and agreed with the nomination, which led to Nan also nominating Addie. Here’s what Nan said in her nomination:
Addie is an amazing momma too! She has two kiddos and she is one of the most creative people I know. She is so talented! You should see the work she has done on rehabbing her home.
Addie - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
In Part One, Marcy Bursac talked to Jill Devine about foster care adoption. Most people don’t know that foster care adoption is the fastest and most affordable way to adopt. Through the adoption experience of her own kiddos, Marcy realized there were too many unanswered questions and holes in the system, so she published “The Forgotten Adoption Option: A Self-Reflection and How-To Guide for Pursuing Foster Care Adoption”.
In Part Two of the discussion, Jill learned a little more about Marcy’s children and their backstory. At the end of the conversation, Jill asked Marcy for her final thoughts and Marcy reiterated:
*120,000 United States children do not have a forever family
- Most people believe that all children in foster care return to their biological families
*Many people don’t know that 50% of children in foster care need an adoptive family and that adopting children through foster care costs $0 - $2,500
*Adoption isn’t an impossible process
Facebook: @ForgottenAdoptionOption
LinkedIn: @marcybursac
Instagram: @marcybursac
The Forgotten Adoption Option Podcast: https://forgottenadoptionoption.com/the-forgotten-adoption-option-podcast/
Weblink to Purchase Book: https://forgottenadoptionoption.com/the-book/
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Jill Devine has been wanting to discuss adoption on an episode of Two Kids and A Career, but she wanted to discuss the topic with an expert. Through a mutual friend, Jill was introduced to Marcy Bursac. Marcy resides in St. Louis, Missouri with her husband and two brave children. Her heart for adoption comes from participating in service projects with orphans and her grandfather-in-law being orphaned in St. Louis at age seven but never being adopted. Adoption was something Marcy and her husband talked about as their Plan A before they even got married. This led the couple to adopt their kiddos, a sibling pair.
In Part One of the conversation, Marcy and Jill discussed adoption options. One option often overlooked is foster care adoption because people do not know that foster care and foster care adoption are different things. Most people don’t know that foster care adoption is the fastest and most affordable way to adopt.
Marcy explained to Jill that she was fed up with the number of children in the United States who didn’t have forever families, so she published “The Forgotten Adoption Option: A Self-Reflection and How-To Guide for Pursuing Foster Care Adoption” to find more forever homes for 120,000 children who are waiting to be adopted.
Facebook: @ForgottenAdoptionOption
LinkedIn: @marcybursac
Instagram: @marcybursac
The Forgotten Adoption Option Podcast: https://forgottenadoptionoption.com/the-forgotten-adoption-option-podcast/
Weblink to Purchase Book: https://forgottenadoptionoption.com/the-book/
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Steph of St. Charles. Her friend, Nan, nominated her and said:
Steph is awesome and is a great mom! She’s raised two kids of her own and is a grandma to two. She’s a science teacher, so essentially, she has helped raise many more! After a very helpful parenting assist last week with my own teenage girls, I told her she should write a book. She’s a hoot!
Steph’s daughter, Addie, also added to the nomination and said:
My mom juggled being a young, single mom with grace. She powered through college while raising me on her own. She went on to finish her master’s degree and has had a 25+ year career in the education field. She did all of this while managing to be an incredible mother to my sister and me and a wonderful wife to my stepdad. She shows up for everyone in her life: for her family, for her students, for her friends, and for her co-workers. She is amazing and so deserving of all the credit. I hope someday I’m half the mother she is. #yaymomma
Steph - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
As explained in previous episodes, Jill Devine is best known for her previous career. She spent over 20 years in radio in the St. Louis market. Born and raised in the St. Louis area, being able to start her career and end her career in her hometown is a big deal. The same scenario is true for this week’s guest, Karen Kelly.
Karen and Jill worked together, briefly. Jill wanted Karen to be on the podcast when they both worked in radio together because Karen’s personal life had numerous life lessons that could be shared with others, but it didn’t work out. In hindsight, Jill’s glad it didn’t work out because the conversation TODAY was beautiful.
In this episode, the ladies talked about:
- Their Faith and how it’s a nonnegotiable
- Lifting women up and giving a compliment, but with sincerity
- Their forever love of radio
The ladies also discussed their career changes now that they’re out of radio. In Episode 50: Making The Pivot From The Corporate World To Entrepreneurship, Jill talked to Sarah Bernard. After she had her three children, Sarah wanted more flexibility in her career and made the decision to leave her corporate job and venture into entrepreneurship. Sarah is a Luxury Home Realtor & Second Home Specialist and Karen now works for Sarah! It’s the perfect fit, as Karen has a lifetime of experience in sales, combined with a love of beautiful places and spaces. Sarah Bernard Realty, powered by RedKey Realty Leaders, specializes in residential real estate in St. Louis City and County, St. Charles and local favorite, Innsbrook Resort.
You can contact Karen by calling 314.435.2483 or email - KarenKelly@sarahbernardrealestate.com
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kelly-a8278231/
Insta: @kikiinthelou
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.kelly971
https://www.facebook.com/KarenKellySTLRealEstate
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Cynthia of St. Louis. Her sister, Jennifer, nominated her and said:
I would like to acknowledge my sister, Cynthia. She is a Supermom for so many reasons.
Cynthia is a high-achieving career-driven woman who excels at balancing that part of her life with what she gives back to her family and community. Not only does she work at Moneta in financial planning, Cynthia has built a family with her husband by having 3 great kids who have incredible values, all modeled by their mother.
While achieving in the business world and having babies at the same time, Cynthia also found time to volunteer as a recreational and competitive soccer coach, donating many hours to not only the technical development of boys and girls, but also those great things that sports can give such as a good work ethic, challenging oneself, being a good teammate, displaying sportsmanship, learning how to win and lose with grace, and so much more! In this arena, Cynthia excelled at being “more than just a coach” to her players, building bonds they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Recently, Cynthia has decided to take her positive influence further into the world by committing to running every day (no matter what). Beyond this, she has shared this commitment to her Facebook community with positivity, challenging her friends to challenge themselves in some way every day, and uses this platform to raise money for various charities. Watching the comments, you can see that she has inspired many with this journey, and additional shared messages of positivity.
My little sister is not only a Supermom, she’s a Rockstar!
Cynthia - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Women supporting women. Small business love. Creating community. These are just a few of the things that have been happening in the latest season of Two Kids and A Career.
In Episode 53: Organization Should Be An Official Love Language, Kelly Johnson joined Jill Devine to talk about Kelly’s shift from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, women supporting women, adapting her business to meet safety protocols during a pandemic, having a 2-year-old, and so much more. Kelly’s business, Organized Interiors LLC, offers home organization, move management, home styling and personal assistant services.
Kelly introduced Morgan Clark to Jill. Morgan is the Founder of STL Sitter and Operating Partner of SmartSitter. In the email introduction, here’s what Morgan said:
In 2015 I launched a babysitting side hustle called STL Sitter. I spent the last five years overseeing operations. I took a little break to have a baby, and right as I was coming back, Covid-19 hit us in March 2020. As a double whammy, it was at this time that the technology service we were using abruptly discontinued their service contract. With no other scheduling software available on the market, we were forced to create our own if we wanted to continue to function normally.
Nine months, twelve people, and half a million dollars later, we have launched a technology service company called SmartSitter. This spring, I will be launching a certification program that coincides with the technology to educate industry hopefuls on the process for starting their business, scaling it, and learning to manage it. To accompany the course, I will be publishing my first e-book, Side Hustle to Success, SmartSitter Blueprint. My goal is to break down the barrier to entry in our industry, build a supportive community, and help others experience more time freedom.
In this episode, Jill and Morgan discussed mom life, biz life, and so much more!
Instagram: @stl_sitter
Facebook: STL Sitter
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Kim of Columbus, Ohio. Marcy nominated her and said:
You’d never know her life had so many moving pieces because Kim shows up present wherever she goes in person and online. She runs a photography business, an Etsy shop, and is a copy writer for a magazine while raising three children under the age of 7 and juggling the demands of single parenting when her husband is at the fire station.
As I was making final preparations the night before my two (now adopted) children moved in, night owl Kim asked if there was anything we didn’t think about that we still needed. I replied, “A wall coat rack for backpacks.” She told me not to do any research but to tell her width and color. She presented options and my husband and I got to pick the one we liked best. Six years later those same hooks continue to be a daily part of my family’s lives.
I hope you’ll look favorable in shining a spotlight on Kim’s caring heart.
Kim - YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Through a mutual friend, Jill Devine was introduced to Brandon Janous. Brandon lost his wife, Rachel, to breast cancer on March 1st, 2020. With the one-year anniversary of her death approaching, Jill invited Brandon on the podcast to share Rachel's story because as he describes in the episode, "there's beauty in the brokenness".
To gain a little insight on who Rachel was, here's some information from her obituary:
Rachel excelled in everything that she attempted. But it was dance that captured her heart. From the time that she could walk to the time that she could walk no more, she danced. She danced everywhere she went and never in her life had trouble finding a dance partner.
Rachel attended the University of Nebraska (Go Big Red), where she not only danced on the sidelines of every football and basketball game as a Scarlet, but she also excelled in the classroom. It was here, in Lincoln, Nebraska, where Rachel would meet the love of her life (though she didn’t know it at the time.) He knew it. It just took her a bit longer to be convinced.
His name was Brandon Janous, and because of a silly flag football tournament, their love story began. Brandon was introduced to Rachel through some of her High School friends (Go Oak Park) on a weekend trip he and his buddies took to Lincoln from the University of Missouri (MIZ).
On March 13, 2010, Rachel and Brandon said their “I do’s” and began what they would consider the greatest love story ever told. The first of their 3 children, Hadley Mae, arrived just over a year after their wedding day, and for the next few years, Rachel would spend most of her time in maternity clothes. In 2012, they welcomed their second daughter, Cooper Grace, and in 2014 they got their boy, Macklin Lawrence, and became what is now known as The Janous 5.
Rachel was an incredible nurse because she loved people so well.
Rachel was an incredible mom because she loved her children so well.
Rachel was an incredible friend because she loved her friends so well.
Rachel was an incredible daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, sister-in-law, aunt, wife, and daughter-in-law because she just knew how to love everyone so well.
Rachel was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was only 36 years old at the time. But she fought it hard, beat it and was in complete remission for about 7 months. In July of 2019, the cancer came back, and it came back with a vengeance. Down deep, Rachel had always felt that it would eventually come back, and she was prepared to battle it again. The problem was that this time, the cancer took over her entire body and before long, the doctors had exhausted all treatment options.
Rachel could have easily given up and been angry for the hand she’d been dealt. But instead, she decided she’d do her best to change the world. And that’s exactly what she did.
She taught us how to love people better. Not just when it’s convenient, but to love them through their ugly times and worst days and to love them well.
She taught us that cancer is hard, but that everyone has their “hard.” And that you never know what someone is going through. You never know their struggle. You never know their pain. You never know where they have been or where they’re going. So to always be kind and to always love hard.
She taught us that God is so dang good. And that while dying of cancer at 38 years old isn’t fun, dancing in heaven was going to be a blast!
She taught us not to take moments for granted and that it’s the little moments that matter most.
She taught us all how to hug better.
She taught us that there is so much beauty in the brokenness. And that even in her final days, when she knew death was imminent, she was helping everyone around her heal. She was encouraging and equipping everyone for the next chapter. She was leading people, so many people, many that she’d never met, to know Jesus.
If you didn’t have the chance to meet Rachel, you missed out. Just five minutes with her would have had a major impact on your life.
Rachel's story is one every person should hear. Your perspective on life will change after hearing it. #LoveLikeRachel
Instagram and Facebook: @brandonjanous
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Rachel. Jill Devine is nominating her on behalf of all who have loved and continue to love Rachel:
How could I not make Rachel this week’s Supermom nomination? This is a woman who continues to touch lives, mine included. I can only imagine what it was like to be loved by Rachel. What a true gift from God! Every time I get sad thinking about Brandon and the kids, I try and relive the conversation he and I had about Rachel’s final days. In Rachel’s honor, we all need to love and love hard.
Rachel - you will be forever seen and forever supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Does the thought of traveling with 4 kids, all under the age of five years old, terrify you? It terrifies Jill Devine. She was supposed to take her girls to see her best friend who lives about 6 hours away, but the trip didn’t happen due to COVID. Jill was sweating leading up to the trip wondering how she was going to travel solo with a 4 and 2-year-old. Marissa and Adam Goldstein aren’t terrified. In fact, they embrace it.
Marissa and Adam have two sets of twins under the age of 5: Raya, Efi, Noa, and Eyva. Marissa and Adam love traveling, and they weren’t going to let having children stop them from doing what they loved. So, they made a pledge to keep traveling no matter what! In fact, their oldest twins visited 15 countries before they were potty trained. Their entire family are lovers of travel, food, and community service. The Goldstein’s goal is to help other families find inspiration in their everyday life, whether they’re looking for advice on what to do next or trying to find the will to just get out and go! Their website, Twinsonthegox2, contains helpful tips and tricks when it comes to traveling with kids, among other great parenting content.
The Goldstein family split their time living in both Vietnam and Boston. While exploring remote villages in Southeast Asia with their family, they grew a bond with local families and fell in love with the beautiful art forms they have passed down amongst generations. Marissa and Adam wanted to share these traditional handicrafts with a larger audience, give back to the communities they came to love, and build a strong community their selves. So, they launched Rafi Nova! The company originally launched as a travel accessory brand, but as many companies that launched in 2020, pivots had to be made because of COVID-19. They were able to quickly come up with a plan and design for face masks and they continue to improve that design to meet the needs of all individuals, while also donating masks to frontline workers.
Marissa joined Jill on the podcast to talk about parenting and traveling with two sets of twins, living in two different countries, the development and launch of their business, and how they are navigating the pandemic.
https://www.instagram.com/twinsonthegox2/
https://www.instagram.com/rafinova_go/
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Jessica of St. Louis. Deb nominated her and said:
Jessica is a friend and rising photographer. She is a single mom of a teenage daughter with epilepsy. She is self-made and self-taught, and truly a fighter and hard worker. She has maintained a home-daycare for years and recently took up photography as a hobby. She is now retiring her home daycare and launching her full-time photography career, JS Photography STL. She also does quite a bit of volunteer work for On Angels Wings.
Jessica – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Jill Devine has always been the perfect patient at the eye doctor, until now. She has joined the “readers” club, but this episode isn’t about Jill’s lack of being a gold-star student anymore. In all seriousness, there is a major problem with children from low-income families not being able to thrive because of vision ailments.
Executive Director at Eye Thrive, Kate McKearn holds a Master's Degree in Teaching and has more than 12 years of experience leading inner-city classrooms in Chicago, Decatur (Illinois), and Saint Louis. Recognized for her ability to empower her students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed, Kate has transferred that expertise to her leadership role at Eye Thrive and established an organizational culture that prioritizes impact over outputs, meeting our kids where they are, and providing the highest quality of care.
Eye Thrive (formerly Eye Care Charity of Mid-America) is a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to ensure no child in our community fails to thrive simply because his or her family cannot afford glasses. Eye Thrive does this by providing free vision screenings, eye exams and prescription glasses to low-income children at their schools and community centers on-board a Mobile Vision Clinic. Since 2013, the organization has conducted more than 20,000 free comprehensive eye exams and dispensed more than 21,000 free pairs of glasses.
In the face of a pandemic that has destabilized family finances overnight and altered the landscape of need, our kids need us now more than ever. As the only independent non-profit vision provider in the region, despite COVID-19 Eye Thrive has remained open, expanded our programs to serve more kids, and adjusted our delivery model and protocols to prioritize the health and safety of our kids and our staff. Your support will help Eye Thrive continue to provide essential vision services, including eye exams and glasses, to at-risk kids right here in Saint Louis.
Kate and Jill discussed the challenges visually impaired children face every day without a proper visual diagnosis.
You can reach Kate by calling 314.736.1400 or through email: katemckearn@eyethrive.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eyethrive
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eye_thrive
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eye_thrive
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Chelsea of Eureka, MO. Jim nominated her and said:
I have a Supermom Shoutout for ya. My cousin Greg's wife, Chelsea is an exceptional young lady. For starters, she is a nurse at Mercy and has been working nights during the pandemic while pregnant (due in March). She is also the mom to Gus (2) and a dog mom to their bulldog Brock. With everything she has going on in her professional and personal life, I don't see how she does it and with such a positive attitude. She always puts everyone's needs above her own and I think she deserves a little recognition.
Chelsea – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
During her childhood, Teresa Rinne had discovered dozens of dried flowers tucked away in the family Bible, while visiting her great-grandmother in Kentucky. As the older woman helped return the flowers to their home, she explained that each dried flower had a special memory attached to it. When she passed, she took those memories with her. Through trial and error, Teresa developed an at-home process for preserving fresh flowers—and their memories.
Teresa is the company founder and CEO of Floral Preservation Co. Her company aims to provide a quick and easy process to preserve flowers. The patent-pending kit involves microwaving the flowers, then sealing them with a spray. This preserves the flowers and retains the vibrant colors than pressing them in a book. At Floral Preservation Co, it's more than preserving flowers. It's about preserving memories for years to come.
Jill Devine was eager to have Teresa on the podcast because Jill has two distinct memories involving flowers and she wished she knew about Teresa’s kit before getting rid of the flowers.
Instagram @floralpreservationco
Facebook @floralpreservation
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Kelly of St. Louis, MO! Her sister-in-law, Jill, nominated her and said:
Not only is she a super mom to her two kids, but she’s a super mom to all her dance studio dancers too. She’s had to manage running her small business and keeping her dance family safe too. She adjusted by having outdoor classes and of course virtual classes. Even with no recitals and limited competitions she tried to plan things to make her dancers still have a time to shine. She teaches them about their bodies and life lessons and not just dance.
She has instilled a sense of responsibility and empathy in her own kids that makes me proud to be related to them. Kelly balances education, activities, and service in her kid’s day to day lives. I think she has done a fantastic job in these circumstances to keep her family healthy yet find ways to get them active and engaged in the world.
Kelly – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Mich Hancock is the dynamic CEO of 100th Monkey, a company focused on creating quality human connections and interactions, leads and conversions for B2B and B2C clients through social media.
Mich is also the Co-Founder of TEDxStLouis, an innovative and thought-provoking organization that brings TED Talk experiences to St. Louis. She interviews TEDx speakers and St. Louis movers and shakers on her popular MichMash Podcast.
Mich also works with organizations and individuals to help them “TED-ify” their presentations.
Jill Devine wanted to talk to Mich about social media on a deeper level because social media has turned into a negative space where people feel like they have been granted a license to be negative. You can change that narrative and it can start by joining the #100thME kindness movement on Facebook at 100thME.
Social:
https://www.facebook.com/100thMonkeySTL
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michhancock/
Twitter: @mich_hancock
Instagram @michhancock
Upcoming TEDxStLouis event: https://www.facebook.com/events/3835843903126279
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Allison of St. Louis, MO! Her friend, Kristin, nominated her and said:
Good Morning Jill,
I would like to nominate Allison from St. Louis. She is a full-time mom of 3, has a full time job working at Missouri Baptist hospital, and started her own business this summer called St. Louis Cheeseboards. She runs her business by herself (with some help from her immediate family), making the charcuterie boards, delivering to homes, advertising, running social media pages and collaborating with other small businesses. She somehow still manages to spend time with her family and her friends and is overall just an awesome person!
Allison – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
In Season 4, Jill Devine had many conversations with women she met through social media. Most of the women are entrepreneurs who love to support and promote other female entrepreneurs and this week’s guest joins that community.
Jill was introduced to Kaci Brueck through Instagram. Kaci and her husband, Ryan, are the proud founders and owners of Brueck Creative. They create Learn and Play Placemats, along with custom photo collages.
In Episode 57: What The Last Year Has Taught Me, Jill talked about her love for supporting small businesses. When Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday were approaching, Jill wanted to do more, so she collaborated with Kaci to highlight small businesses in the area.
That collaboration led to Kaci and Jill communicating a lot and developing a friendship, as they have a lot in common. Here are some of the things the two talked about in the episode:
*Both women have 2 young daughters and Kaci’s daughters are the same age difference as Jill’s daughters
*Both women were considered “advanced maternal age” while pregnant
*Sibling dynamics
*Biggest parenting struggle at this moment
*Being a small business owner
*Instilling work ethic into our kids
*Advocating for our kids
*Being known for their Type A personalities and their control issues
You can find Brueck Creative on the following social media outlets:
IG - @brueck_creative
Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrueckCreative?ref=shop_sugg
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BrueckCreative
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Stacy of Olivette, MO! This is a self-nomination and here’s what Stacy submitted:
Good morning! I'm going to self-nominate because why not - I thought I was pretty great before I was widowed but now, I really think I'm something special lol! Widowed at 39 with 2 small boys, Aaron (11.5) and Jonah (8). I was the caregiver and worked full time when Eli was battling cancer. After he passed in September 2018, I decided I needed to make changes – I got healthier, I started spinning, and moved to Pedal the Cause as the Director of Development to help fight cancer, professionally, as well as personally. Privately I've become the "go to" for many who have a young cancer fighter in their lives. I take pride in knowing I can offer something positive from a horrible experience. Managing and thriving as a single parent, yet alone as the sole parent, is challenging all the time but especially during a pandemic, now that’s something! I’m proud of all I have accomplished and that my kids are doing well. We’ve had two dogs in the mix and we’re all making it work. Thanks for the platform and the opportunity to share.
Stacy – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Happy New Year and welcome to Season 5 of the podcast! In thinking of how she wanted to begin Season 5, it was a no brainer for Jill Devine. She invited Meg Tortorello and Holly Murer, AKA “The Messy Mommies in the City”, to kick off the latest season.
Holly and Meg started supporting Jill during Season 2 when they heard Episode 20: Cat & Nat, The Hilarious Ladies Behind #MOMTRUTHS.
The Messy Mommies in the City are a group of longtime friends and family that love bringing girlfriends together to laugh, share, and find the joy in the messiness of life. Meg Tortorello, Holly Murer, Brooke Kelley, Kim Bertino, and Sandhya Nair love to share about cooking in the kitchen, adventures with their children, and juggling their careers.
The Messy Mommies love how Jill supports small businesses and amazing entrepreneurs! The Messy Mommies love Candyality in Chicago. Terese McDonald, the founder of Candyality created a sweet candy shop that was voted best candy shop in IL by the Food Network Magazine! This delicious shop ships amazing treats!
The Messy Mommies also love the amazing community builder Sadie Smith-West and small business owner of Posh West Boutique! Sadie has an autistic son and created Posh West as a place she could bring her son. She has wonderful clothes and gifts.
The Messy Mommies love to cook and love that Jill is also sharing recipes on her blog! Check out Holly's amazing cookbook, Together: Recipes to Bring Family and Friends to the Table.
The Messy Mommies love toasting with girlfriends on making it through the crazy 2020 and to celebrate each other. Check out some of the Messy Mommies favorite cocktails and drinks:
https://ontherockscocktails.com
https://hallmarkchannelwines.com
https://www.rumchata.com
https://kingstvodka.com
The Messy Mommies are hosting virtual "Girls Night In" get togethers via Zoom on the third Thursday of each month from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm CT. Connect with girlfriends from across the country as we chat with special guests, toast each other, and laugh a lot. Details each month are on our social media channels. We can't wait until we can all be together again in person for Girls Night Outs.
Follow the Messy Mommies on Instagram @messymommiesinthecity https://www.instagram.com/messymommiesinthecity/
Follow the Messy Mommies on Twitter @MessyMommies https://twitter.com/MessyMommies
Follow the Messy Mommies on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/messymommies
Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth, so she created the Supermom Shoutout. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Rachel of O’Fallon, MO! Wendi nominated her and said:
Rachel is my daughter’s teacher and she’s amazing! She’s been a teacher for almost 20 years. She’s married and has 3 daughters and 2 dogs. In addition, she’s a coach for the Varsity dance team. Rachel is a true Supermom! She’s the best teacher we’ve had. She created a 2-week plan for our daughter because there was a positive exposure to COVID on the bus. She really is one of the best!
Rachel – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
This week’s episode is the last episode of Season 4. With Christmas and the New Year right around the corner, like many people, Jill Devine decided it would be a good time to take a two-week break. Season 5 will launch on Wednesday January 6, 2021.
This episode is dedicated to two subject matters. The first - a recent social media post Jill wrote about the last year and the things she experienced. The second – supporting small businesses.
If you missed the social media post, here it is:
On this date, 1 year ago (December 5, 2019), I was not smiling. I was experiencing every emotion except happiness.
One year ago, I lost my job. It wasn’t “just” a job to me. It was my career. It was my livelihood. It was my identity. It’s where I spent a little over 20 years of my life doing some amazing things in the community, meeting some really cool people along the way, experiencing music with a different perspective, and gaining more appreciation for the inner workings of the music community.
Many people, and myself included, thought I would land another radio job sooner than later. Between the pandemic and the loss of my job, I’ve experienced some of the darkest days of my life over the past year. BUT, let me tell you what else happened in the last year:
*I was able to spend a lot of quality time with my family. I can’t say the entire time spent together was glorious because it definitely wasn’t. However, I learned a lot about myself and the things I need in order to be the best version of myself. I am a constant work in progress.
*I became an entrepreneur with the development of Jill Devine Media, which is home to my podcast, Two Kids and A Career. I am so incredibly thankful for the ladies at Evoke Creative for guiding, supporting, and investing in me to make my small business dream become a reality. I’m excited to see the business grow and expand!
*A special person from my church, Messiah Lutheran Church, saw something in me that I definitely didn’t see in myself. Fast forward and I’m now working for Messiah! I’ve never worked in ministry before and if you would’ve told me 10 years ago this was going to happen, I certainly wouldn’t have believed you. I’m loving what I’m doing and feel at home in the short time I’ve been an employee. God’s plan is truly indescribable.
I won’t lie. There are days I think about what happened a year ago and a lot of the emotions take over, but the pain and hurt has definitely decreased. Like anything, it’s a process. What I can positively say is that I am happy and have a positive outlook for the future!
Up next, supporting small businesses. Jill’s always been a big supporter of small businesses, but even more so once the pandemic hit. So many small businesses have shut their doors for good because of the pandemic. Jill has been trying to feature various small businesses over the last few months, but when Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday were approaching, Jill wanted to do more. She collaborated with Kaci Brueck of Brueck Creative to highlight small businesses in the area. Here are a few mentioned in this episode:
*Pistols N Vixens
*Milk and Honey Boutique and Wine Bar
*Addy’s Way
*St. Louis Cheeseboards
*Clementine’s Naughty and Nice Creamery
*Organized Interiors
*Delicate Flower Soaps
*PMP Images
*Primo Playdough
If there’s a small business you think Jill should check out, email her: hello@jilldevine.com.
Don’t forget, the podcast is taking a two-week break and will resume on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. Until then, enjoy the Holidays with loved ones and have a Happy New Year!
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Amber of Wentzville, MO! Her employer/friend, Toni, nominated her and said:
I nominate Amber Harris. She is an employee of mine and a mom of... wait for it .. 8!! 8 kids and she and her husband both work full time. She is so kind and always makes it to work even if things get rough at home. She believes in her kids being as individually unique as possible and is a momma bear like I have never seen and she does it with grace. I am lucky to have her on my team.
Amber – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Everyone should have a friend like Sarah Rentfro in their life. The best way to describe Sarah is to point to a description based on her Enneagram Type, which is a 9. From Truity:
Peacemakers are social chameleons who can adapt to the group dynamic easily and help others get along. They’re soft-spoken yet loyal and fun to be around, intuitively knowing how to include and engage everyone in conversation. Peacemakers are cooperative and always willing to let someone join the circle and state their own opinions. Soft-spoken yet firm in their personal stances, they make an effort to neutralize tension and restore group harmony. Easygoing and willing to tolerate everyone, Peacemakers retain their self-esteem through being kind and helpful to others. They enjoy the comfortable side of life and may have a personal space to recharge from the outer world. Many are deep seekers of meaning and have a fond appreciation of spirituality and a sense of connectedness with the universe.
Jill Devine met Sarah a couple of years ago. At the time, Sarah helped with the children’s ministry at the church Jill and Sarah attend, Messiah Lutheran. Jill actually referenced Sarah in Episode 46: Dealing With Depression and Anxiety, Having Jesus In Your Life, and Seeking The Still with Laura Fleetwood because Laura and Sarah are sisters.
There’s often talk about social media and the negative side of it, but Sarah’s social media accounts are the exact opposite. She takes simple things, like baby carrots, and her viewpoint makes people literally laugh out loud. As with most people, there is a side to Sarah that is complex and not something she really likes to share on social media. Sarah was (and very much still is) recovering from a binge eating disorder.
So many of the things Jill and Shannon Buescher talked about in Episode 30 (Part One) Women Face the Cultural Message “Thin Is Better” Every Day and Episode 30 (Part Two) We Are Taught We’re Successful If Our Body Gets Smaller were the things Sarah was dealing with every single day.
Sarah had a binge eating disorder and the day after she read Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen, she quit binging. Sarah is now trying to focus on body neutrality and “living in the middle”.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Amy of O’Fallon, MO! Her best friend, Michelle, nominated her and said:
Hi Jill! My best friend, Amy, is a Supermom! She’s a single mom, going to school to get her Master’s, works for Sacred Groundz coffee truck (she’s actually a founder of that company), she volunteers for our church, Peace Lutheran, and she helps me with all my volunteer projects. Her daughter, Kylie, is absolutely amazing! She does gymnastics and just started Girl Scouts. Kylie keeps Amy pretty busy, yet Amy is able to do everything I listed and do it well.
Amy – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Sometimes tough and uncomfortable conversations will be had on the podcast.
The New York post released an article in September of 2020 about the rise of divorces due to the pandemic:
Divorce rates have spiked in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic as couples have been stuck at home for months.
The combination of stress, unemployment, financial strain, death of loved ones, illness, homeschooling children, mental illnesses, and more has put a significant strain on relationships.
In fact, 20 percent of couples who sought divorce who were married within the past five months or less, compared to the just 11 percent in 2019 – doubling the rate.
In most situations, individuals don't know where or who to turn to turn to for legal advice. Jill Devine thought it would be ideal to have an expert on the podcast to provide some guidance and knowledge about divorce. Mark Haefner is an Attorney and Managing Partner at Haefner Law Office, LLC:
Family Law is what Mark Haefner does. Having handled over 1,000 family law cases, with the vast majority of them being divorce and custody litigation, Mark has extensive knowledge in the area of family law. Mark married young and started working extremely long hours as a family law attorney after law school. When that marriage ended, he had no desire to have a drawn out, stressful divorce. He had seen what his clients go through every day, and he wanted no part of it. So, Mark streamlined the process so that the paperwork was done, the signatures signed, and the divorce completed as quickly as legally possible.
Mark’s journey, having gone through a divorce, being a stepfather in times that were occasionally contentious, and a father to a child that he has been extremely involved with since birth, has given him the ability to truly empathize with his clients. He is consistently asking “is this what I would want if I was the client?”
Mark has written a compassionate guide, Exit Strategy: Understanding & Handling Your Missouri Divorce, to the divorce process that treats the most important issues a spouse needs to understand, especially questions about custody and parenting plans. There are no easy answers to these questions, but you will feel a little better after reading his book.
In this week’s episode, Mark and Jill discussed some of the biggest things to consider when it comes to divorce and your options. You can get a free consultation with Mark by calling 314-200-6101.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Jessica of O’Fallon, MO! Her mom, Donna, nominated her and said:
I think Jessica Banfield is a Supermom because she is hard working doing with her full-time job and making sure 4 children are doing their schoolwork at the same time. She always puts the kids first in everything.
Jessica – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
For the second time in Season 4, a childhood friend of Jill Devine’s was a part of Two Kids and A Career. The first childhood friend was Gina Schuster. In Episode 45, Gina talked about losing her husband to suicide.
Mackenzie Siders, Gina, and Jill are all childhood friends and when Mackenzie heard Gina’s episode, it prompted her to email Jill. Mackenzie has a seven-year-old son, Charlie, who suffers from autism. April is Autism Awareness Month and she asked Jill if she could come on the podcast in April to talk about autism. Jill said no because she wanted Mackenzie to be on the podcast sooner than later and Mackenzie accepted the invite, but she will be back in April to talk about Autism Awareness Month.
Jill knew the conversation with Mackenzie would be full of laughs despite the serious subject matter because Mackenzie keeps it real. The bio she uses is the best way for Jill to describe Mackenzie to anyone who doesn’t know her:
Mackenzie is a SAHM to five beautiful, hysterical, annoying-as-f#@k-sometimes kids. She worked so super hard in her twenties to earn an MBA only to retire and become her kids’ bitch. Now she spends her days dashing into the fray and taking power naps. You can catch her tossing quarters into her swear jar on her blog Mommy Needs A Swear Jar and on Facebook. She is confused by Twitter.
The episode was filled with lots of laugher, but also filled with tons of knowledge and advice.
Whether you have an autistic child or not, you should check out this article Mackenzie wrote after Charlie was given the official diagnosis.
Here are some resources suggested by Mackenzie:
*Missouri Department of Mental Health for Developmental Disabilities
*Missouri Department of Mental Health: Office of Autism Services
*Community Living In-Home Respite
*Developmental Disabilities Resource Board
*Judevine Center for Autism
*Mercy Kids Intensive Early Intervention Program
*Thompson Center
*Spark for Autism
*Speech Language Learning Systems
*Orton Gillingham for the treatment of Dyslexia
*Developing Minds Therapy Services
*UMSL Community Psychological Services
*St. Louis Arc
*Recreation Council of St. Louis
*Brita Weight - Inclusion Coordinator for St. Charles County: brita@recreation4uall.com
*United Healthcare Children's Foundation Grant Eligibility
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Mackenzie of O’Fallon, MO! Jill is nominating this week’s Supermom:
You just heard Mackenzie Siders talking about the dynamics of her family. At one point, 3 of her 5 children had IEP’s. For kids to receive special education services, they need an IEP which is an Individualized Education Program. An IEP is more than just a written legal document. It lays out the program of special education instruction, supports, and services kids need to thrive in school. Mackenzie does all she can to support the IEP’s and works with the school to make sure she is doing what she can at home to help her special needs kiddos, especially Charlie. Charlie is 7 and is autistic. Mackenzie advocates for Charlie and all individuals with autism. She wants their voices to be heard and is doing all she can to help make that happen, in addition to educating others who may not be familiar with autism. Being a parent is hard work, but Mackenzie faces more hurdles than most parents. I can’t imagine how exhausting her days are. I’m inspired by Mackenzie’s strength and her determination to do more.
Mackenzie – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
The theme of Season 4, “Happy Hour and Coffee Date Conversations”, continues in this week’s episode with Kelly Johnson. Kelly found Jill Devine’s podcast, Two Kids and A Career, when she heard Episode 46 with Emily Martinez.
Kelly decided she wanted to introduce herself to Jill through an email:
Hi Jill,
I wanted to share a little bit about me and my organizing business. I grew up in Ballwin, attended Parkway West high school, then went to college at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO and moved back to the St. Louis area right after graduation. My major is in Housing and Interior Design. I worked full-time in the corporate world for about 10 years (mostly as a legal recruiter at a couple of law firms), but after having my daughter, I really wanted more balance in my life. I started to think about what I really enjoyed doing and did some soul searching. I came across the industry of professional organizing. I spoke with some professional organizers, joined NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) and started my business, Organized Interiors LLC in October of 2019. I am still new and continue to learn through NAPO University courses and other wonderful professional organizers in the St. Louis area who I have been lucky enough to work with. I love working with busy families and I would say my two favorite spaces to organize are pantries and paly areas.
I live in University City with my husband (Ryan), daughter (Carly), dog (Miller) and cat (Ziggy). Together, we enjoy traveling, going on walks, finding new, fun activities and snacking! I am an avid reality TV fan and I also enjoy running, hiking and spending time with family and friends.
I would love to work with you at some point, so please let me know if you have any ideas of how we can support each other. I look forward to hearing back from you!
Thanks!
Jill loves organization and considers that her love language, so she had to invite Kelly on the podcast! The two women talked about Kelly’s shift from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, women supporting women, adapting her business to meet safety protocols during a pandemic, having a 2-year-old, and so much more.
Kelly’s business, Organized Interiors LLC, offers home organization, move management, home styling and personal assistant services. You can call Kelly at 314-608-0113 or email: kelly@organizedinteriorsstl.com.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Allison of O’Fallon, MO! Her friend, Michelle, nominated her and said:
I wanted to nominate my friend, Allison. Allison is a single, Supermom. She has two daughters, Nora (age 5) and Natalie (age 1). Allison is a Treasury Manger for RGA and balances a stressful job and two adorable little girls. When Natalie was born, Allison became a single mother. While it was difficult, she rose above the challenges and is a rockstar! She takes Nora to dance every week, schedules creative and play time for both girls, makes time for family dinner every Sunday with her parents, brother, and nephews, while continuing to be a strong leader at her office. She is the best girlfriend who offers sound advice and a great listener. She makes it look so easy. I am so proud of her! She is a wonderful mother, girlfriend, daughter and sister!
Allison – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Recently, Jill Devine received an email from Jen Singleton about a potential podcast guest. Jen is a Partner at Socially Inspired and was a guest in Season 1, Episode 16: Three Female Entrepreneurs Share Their Thoughts About Being A Working Mom
Jen is also part of the HeyMama community, which is a community for working moms. They connect mothers who are growing careers and families.
Another member of the HeyMama community sent out an email to the group in search of being a guest on a podcast and this was the guest Jen referred to Jill. Here’s the email:
Hi Everyone,
I am honored to be a part of a community of such amazing women! I recently published a book on Amazon, "Momtras: Mantras For Mindful Moms" and am looking for opportunities to speak to groups about balancing motherhood and the deep transformation that occurs when you step into motherhood.
I'm a former corporate communications professional who took the leap into entrepreneurship at two weeks postpartum - birthing a baby and a company in the same year!
A few sample topics that I love to speak about:
- The intersection of spirituality and motherhood. How it is a life-changing exchange that transforms you completely.
- How incorporating simple mindfulness tools into your daily routine such as mantras can empower you and ease the stress of motherhood.
- Healing into motherhood by uncovering blocks, traumas and patterns that hold you back.
I look forward to connecting! Feel free to reach out to me directly at kristine@ommommas.com and connect with me on Instagram: @kristine_mcglinchey and @ommommas
Jill invited Kristine on the podcast and all the above was discussed and even more, such as:
*How the corporate world can help and prepare you for entrepreneurship.
*Women supporting women.
*We don’t have to choose one thing to be good at. We can be a good mother AND a good businesswoman.
*Asking for help.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Dawn of St. Louis, MO! Her Aunt Jody, nominated her and said:
Dawn tried several times to have children with her husband, Bill. Fast forward, they ended up adopting two beautiful children from Ethiopia, Noah and Zoe.
Last year, when they got home after celebrating Dawn’s birthday, Bill went out on the deck. After a while, Noah ran in to his mom and said his dad’s head was laying on the table and he got sick. Dawn ran out there and unfortunately, Bill passed away at the age of 53 from a heart attack.
Dawn is now raising their children by herself and there’s an added layer of emotion, turmoil and confusion because she is now dealing with race and racism. Noah was called a racial slur by a teammate on his soccer team and he didn’t know what it meant, so he asked his mom. She is now trying to teach both of her kids what it’s like to be black in America and the Black Lives Matter movement. All the emotions she has been through and the strength she shows is remarkable.
Dawn – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
She’s going there. Yes, Jill Devine is talking about politics on an entire episode. In previous episodes, Jill has stated she’s not a political person. She claims to be ignorant on a lot of political items because she hasn’t taken the time to educate herself. Having children has made Jill want to dive into learning more about the views of each political party because she is concerned for her daughters’ future locally and nationally. Plus, she wants to be able to have discussions about politics with her daughters as they get older, shall they have questions.
In deciding to dedicate one episode to politics and the upcoming Presidential election, it was important for Jill to have a guest on who could give a bipartisan viewpoint. Jill reached out to Rachel Zimmerman to see if she knew someone who would make a great guest. Rachel is the Executive Producer of The Dave Glover Show and the show does discuss politics at times, but the show is derived of members that align with different political parties, so there’s a lot of perspective. Rachel told Jill she wanted to be the guest because she felt like she was up for the challenge and had been doing a lot of research and self-education on each political party and their stance on the important issues. Without hesitation, Jill invited Rachel to come on the podcast to discuss the questions and concerns Jill has regarding the election and the important issues Americans are facing. By the way, this is the second time Rachel has been on the podcast. She was part of Season 1, Episode 7: Why Would I Think A Woman Without Kids Couldn’t Console Me?
Rachel also reminded Jill of in person absentee voting until November 2nd by 5pm. General voting is November 3rd from 6a-7p. If you’re unsure where your polling place is or you’re looking for your ballot, visit Vote.org. As far as a resource for more information on each party and additional information on their viewpoints, Rachel suggested Electionguide.org.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Chelsea of St. Charles, MO! Her friend, Kelly, nominated her and said:
Hi Jill-
I wanted to nominate a friend of mine. Her name is Chelsea and she is a local photographer and mom. She photographed my wedding and is amazing! She also does mini sessions and donates 100% of the proceeds to the Backstoppers, but that's not what makes her a super mom.
She currently has a 5-year-old daughter but suffered two devastating losses. She had a still born son at 34 weeks and another miscarriage at 16 weeks. She has continued to keep her boys' memories alive in the most beautiful way. She is currently in the process of adopting (going on 2 years) and has shared so much raw emotion throughout the journey.
Chelsea– YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
The theme of Season 4 (happy hour and coffee date conversations) continued with this week’s guest, Sarah Bernard. After she had her three children, Sarah wanted more flexibility in her career and made the decision to leave her corporate job and venture into entrepreneurship. Sarah is now a Luxury Home Realtor & Second Home Specialist. Jill Devine and Sarah discussed the pivot she made from the corporate world to being your own boss.
Amid a pandemic, Sarah has been able to connect people to Innsbrook Resort, located in Innsbrook, Missouri, a gated resort community just 1 hour from Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis, 75 minutes from Columbia, Missouri, and 3 hours from Kansas City. Innsbrook Resort has given individuals a much-needed change of scenery while still practicing safety protocols put in place due to COVID. For more information on Innsbrook Resort, you can call 314.780.9070 or 314.410.5757.
Sarah has two sons and one daughter. All three children live outside the St. Louis area. One son is in college and her other son and daughter are in the early stages of their careers. Jill and Sarah talked about the dynamics of having older children and what it’s like having all three children living in different states. Sarah said despite them living many miles away, she feels very connected with them and she believes technology has made it easier to stay in touch. She said they are all very close and she’s excited to see them leading their own lives. She told Jill she’s careful not to judge her children, but to let them make their own decisions and make their own mistakes.
When she isn’t at the office, Sara hosts “The Issues” on STL TV and she’s active in the St. Louis art district.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Manda of Hebei, China! Her husband, Tyson, nominated her and said:
Why is she great? Born poor in rural China, she taught herself English, married me (might be her only shortcoming!), moved to America, is an amazing stepmom (arguably the most complicated job in the world) and mom, wife, business woman, and homesteader. She has taught me the true meaning of being adaptive, so much so that dealing with COVID for us has just been another day in a lifetime of pivots. She is truly amazing.
Manda – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Jen Cowan, A.K.A. And Hattie Makes Three, joined Jill Devine this week on the podcast. This was technically the second conversation Jill had with Jen. Jill explained what happened to the missing audio in the episode.
If you aren’t familiar with Jen, she loves to share things her family loves and places they go. Her goal is to help you create memories for your family. She is always searching for how she can make your life easier; is there a tip she can provide, a trick, or something you can buy that might make life easier.
Jill noticed Jen on social media because she’s so real. You notice so many digital content creators that hide behind the filters and only put the “good” times on social media. Jen is the opposite of that. She won’t wear makeup in some situations, and she embraces being a plus-size blogger. She suffers from PCOS and has a very hard time losing weight:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs.
Jen did admit when she is out in public with other bloggers, she doesn’t feel like she fits in. She said she doesn’t feel like she fits the “typical” blogger mold. To Jen, that mold means pretty, skinny, and blonde. Another reminder, you never know how a person is feeling. She has insecurities just like the rest of us and again, that’s why Jill started following her because she is so real.
Jen has the inside scoop on events happening around town, as well as representing different brands. Jill and Jen discussed them and here are highlights:
*Halloween ideas in St. Louis: Grant’s Farm Halloween Drive-Thru, The Union Station Halloween Experience, Big Joel’s Spooky Safari, and Pumpkins Galore.
*Artkive - Artkive is a family-run business powered by parents who understand the value of a child’s work of art.
*Bogg Bag
*Rothy’s – $20 off your first pair
*Hudsonville Ice Cream, which you can find in Schnucks
*The Magic House, MADE for kids
*Happy Camper Clothing
*Megh Christine Photography
In addition to everything else she has going on, Jen has a podcast, Murkey Motherhood with her friend, Audrey. They are taking a break right now, but new episodes will be coming soon.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Jodie of St. Louis, MO! Her daughter, Bailey, nominated her and said:
Hi Jill! *My name is Bailey, I am 15 and a sophomore in St. Louis, MO. I am nominating my mom, Jodie for many, many reasons. I have 2 siblings, one in 6th grade and one in 8th grade. We are all 16 months apart. As you can tell, raising 3 kids under 3 years is a lot for a person. But as always, she handled it like a champ while somehow building her photography business.
Jumping to the beginning of Covid-19: We have a 900 sq ft house, and all share a bathroom. There are 5 people in our house and so there is barely a chance you can get alone time. Just as convenient that is, my mom works from home. It is always super loud, and my siblings and I are constantly asking her questions or asking her to do things while she is working. My mom owns a photography business called Fresh Art Photography. She has a studio in the city of St. Louis that is pure white and gorgeous! Unfortunately, with the start of COVID in March, she had to shut her business down just like many small businesses. Then the day before the restrictions lifted in St. Louis, a soffit in her studio crashed to the ground which lead to months of construction (the other one fell too) and that meant more months of not working. To top it all off, the person she had been subleasing the studio with shut down her business for good and walked out on the studio, making my mom’s rent double. As you can see from all of this, her life has been pretty miserable since March, but I swear that woman is the strongest one of them all. During all of it, she kept a smile and made sure we were doing okay with online school while I could tell her world was just falling apart. My mom, Jodie, is the kindest, bravest, most inclusive person I know. She was the grade school mom that asked us every day after school if we included someone in an activity that we wouldn’t normally talk to. She is truly my role model and my best friend. She always asks us what is wrong and listens to our rants. She barely gets work done in the day and will stay up till 1-2 am at night, yet makes time at 9 pm to do an hour of “late night Tik Tok time” with my little brother. I am sure everyone that she knows would agree that she is an amazing mom, daughter, or friend. Thanks for doing the Supermom thing, it is really special.*
Jodie – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Recently, Jill Devine received a direct message in her Instagram account (@jilldevine) from Julie:
Hey Jill! I’m new to your podcast and binge listening to them. Love them!! I wanted to put a bug in your ear about a local mom that is the new rage on Instagram. Her handle is @the_car_mom. She and her family are in car sales. She does reviews on vehicles for moms to let you know what car seats fit good in vehicles, the luggage room and tells you her personal opinion about the bells & whistles of the vehicles. She is in the St. Louis area. I thought you both could be very useful for each other. I know she is about ready to have a baby, but I bet she would love to be a guest!
Kelly Suntrup Stumpe, A.K.A., The Car Mom, joined Jill on this week’s episode. Before Kelly and Jill talked about how The Car Mom was created, they talked briefly about the dynamics between siblings and what it’s like to have multiple children. Kelly is 38 weeks pregnant with her second child, a baby girl, and her first born is a boy and he’s 16-months old.
The Suntrup Automotive Group family have been servicing and selling cars since 1957 for the St Louis area. Kelly is third generation of the Suntrup family. She started selling cars right out of college and when she became a mom, being in the car business was extremely difficult because of the hours. She cut back her hours to work part-time and she started thinking about how difficult it is for moms to buy a vehicle, taking into consideration moms need to bring their car seats and strollers to the dealership to make sure they would fit in the vehicle she was considering purchasing. Kelly wanted to streamline the process for busy moms. She enjoys breaking down the car buying process, how to get a good deal, and how to not get taken advantage of as a mom, but more importantly a woman. All of this led to the creation of The Car Mom.
Here are some other details discussed in the episode:
*Options for a roomier vehicle based on one rear facing car seat and one front facing car seat
*Is there a perfect mom car
*Accessing a third row in a vehicle
*Telluride or Palisade
*SUV or Minivan
*Ceiling vents
*Designing vehicles for women by women
*Safety features
In addition to her Instagram account @the_car_mom, she created a private Facebook page, The Car Mom Crew, that you can join.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Stephanie of Lake St. Louis, MO! Her BFF, Amy, nominated her and said:
To Stephanie, of course! Because she is giving her all and more to being a full time preschool teacher and a mom of two littles, and doing a kick ass job at both...although she would never say that herself because she doesn’t realize just how amazingly awesome she is!
Stephanie – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
In previous episodes, Jill Devine has talked about how she’s growing her faith. She started attending Messiah Lutheran (located in a suburb outside of St. Louis, Missouri) when she was pregnant with her oldest daughter. One Sunday morning at church, Jill noticed a woman singing on stage. The woman had a tattoo on her wrist, and it caught Jill’s eye because Jill had been thinking about getting a tattoo on her wrist as well, but for some reason Jill kept thinking the visible tattoo would be frowned upon by Christians.
Fast forward, randomly, the woman on stage started following Jill on Instagram and now they are friends. The woman’s name is Laura Fleetwood and she created Seeking The Still after she was taken down by depression and anxiety at the age of 37. Jill and Laura talked about Laura’s journey and the process towards healing. While she still suffers with depression and anxiety, she is more equipped to handle it now than before.
In the episode, Jill also asked Laura a lot questions about Christianity/Faith and why Jill would even think Christians would frown upon visible tattoos. Laura reminded Jill that Jesus is for everyone … no matter what you look like, no matter what music you like, no matter what! Laura said she has noticed the church has been typically known for what the church is against and not what the church is for. Laura would like to spread more awareness about what the church is for so more people know they are welcome, no matter what.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeekTheStill
IG: @seekingthestill
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Tiffany of Wentzville, MO! Her friend, Andrea, nominated her and said:
You MUST shout out an amazing mom, Tiffany! She is an amazing mom of 4: a 19-year-old, a 13- year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 3-year-old. She's an amazing photographer who ran a photog business while going through a difficult time of infertility (in-between the 13-year-old and 4-year-old she had several miscarriages and was certain she would never conceive again). She used her photography business as a way to help herself grieve the realization (or so she thought) of never having more children.
Fast forward, she ended up having 2 boys back to back all the while FINALLY going through therapy for sexual abuse that happened to her as a child. You might be thinking, why would I tell you this? Well, she started a social media/photography campaign to erase the stigma around sexual abuse. The campaign is called Project Ember 2020, you can find it on Facebook. Please go to this Facebook page and you will see what a truly AMAZING woman she is!! I am so happy & proud to call her my friend.
Tiffany – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Jill Devine’s guest this week is Emily Martinez, A.K.A. Emmy Lou Styles. In today’s world, social media and digital content is more important than ever to get your business and brand noticed. It’s important to make sure your content is delivering useful information, the correct message about your business and brand, and it connects with your audience. Emily does a great job with all those areas in her digital space.
A little more about Emily - from her blog, Emmy Lou Styles:
Welcome to Emmy Lou Styles! I’m Emily, a work from home wife + mom of two kids living in the suburbs of Saint Louis, MO. I started this blog in the summer of 2017 (side note – I had another blog before this one from 2011-2013) to use as a virtual journey of my life, highlighting everything from the ups and downs of motherhood, style, beauty, travel, and beyond. The name “Emmy Lou Styles” is a combination of a nickname friends and family have for me +part of my middle name (Louise)…and well, in the words of Nelly, I’m from the “Lou” and I’m proud.
When I started, I was working full time in the ecommerce space for a large corporate shoe company. As my blog grew, so did my passion for creating, along with social media as a business began to take over. My husband and I talked at length about how I could take the leap from corporate marketing to self-employment, and I’m happy to say I officially made the switch in March 2019.
Emily gave some great advice on how to handle social media and digital content as a business owner, as well as how to handle it personally. Her advice, “utilize that mute button”. The ladies also had a great discussion about perceptions made by others when it comes to women (who also happen to be mothers) working from inside their homes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmyloustyles
IG: @emmyloustyles
Email: emartinez1129@gmail.com
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Jenn of Foristell, MO! Her BFF, Kate, nominated her and said:
Jenn is a killer mom of 3 sweet, crazy, loud and adventures kiddos! She manages all three (under the age of 7) most days on her very own. Her hubby travels in and out of town and you’ll never hear her complain about a single thing. She will get them dressed (may I add the cutest wardrobes ever too), activities all day long, breakfast/lunch/dinner, walks or bike rides, baths and so much more, all while working as a hair stylist behind the chair. She not only is an amazing mom but gives so much encouragement to other moms too on a daily basis! She definitely deserves a shout out! She would do anything for those kids, and I love seeing her advocating them daily.
Jenn – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Now more than ever, the discussion surrounding suicide prevention and mental illness must be a priority.
From NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness):
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—a time to share resources and stories in an effort to shed light on this highly taboo and stigmatized topic. We use this month to reach out to those affected by suicide, raise awareness and connect individuals with suicidal ideation to treatment services. It is also important to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention. NAMI is here to help.
This week’s guest is Gina Schuster. She lost her husband, Corey Schuster, to suicide. Jill Devine went to middle and high school with both Gina and Corey, so this conversation was very special to Jill. She was incredibly honored that Gina was willing and ready to share Corey’s story.
In the episode, Gina opened up to Jill about the ongoing struggles Corey dealt with and the different treatments he tried up until his death. Corey and Gina have three children: Evan (13), Tessa (11), and Mason (8). In 2011, Corey was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Both Corey and Gina agreed they wanted the kids to know about his diagnosis because of the ups and downs Corey faced regularly.
Gina provided some resources for those who are suffering from mental illness, suicide loss survivors, and family activities to help ease the pain.
Resources:
*Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-TALK (8255) / Crisis Text Line, text TALK to 741741
*NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
*Annie’s Hope
*Arise Equine Therapy
*Facebook – search “Modern Widows Club St Louis Chapter”
*The Missouri Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has a great program called “Talks Saves Lives”.
Lastly, Gina organized a walk on behalf of Corey. Money raised goes towards suicide prevention. You can donate or join Gina’s team. Search for “Corey’s Crew”. The walk is happening Sunday, September 27th at 1p.
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. Jill is nominating this week’s Supermom and it should be no surprise that she’s nominating Gina.
Before her husband’s death, she always put Corey and her kiddos before her own needs. Now, she is raising her three children alone and she’s helping them grieve, as well as grieving herself. She doesn’t quit and she will never give up.
Gina – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/
Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
It’s here, the launch of Season 4!
Jill Devine took some time over the last couple of weeks to reflect on Seasons 1, 2, & 3 and think about what she loved and what she felt was missing from those Seasons. That reflection led to some changes for Season 4.
Jill will still have guests and experts on, but she’s going to include more “happy hour and/or coffee date conversations” … you know, the types of conversations where you have no idea what you’re going to talk about, but you know something good will come out of it? Adding these types of conversations was inspired by a DM she received through her Instagram (@jilldevine) from Cabanne Howard:
Welcome back! I have loved following you and watch you reinvent and emerge stronger than ever after a career pivot. Since I have two kids and a career, I thought I’d drop you a line to say if you are ever in need of a guest, I’d love to talk all things motherhood, being a wife while still managing to kick professional ass (and not have a mental breakdown in the process!). If this – or another topic – is of interest, just let me know. Thanks and keep shining!
Here are some of the topics you will hear Jill and Cabanne talk about in this week’s episode:
*Jill and Cabanne becoming parents later in life, or as doctors like to say, “advanced maternal age”. Insert eye roll here.
*Infertility
*Parenting in your 20’s vs. 40’s
*Parenting pre-pandemic, during quarantine & pandemic
*How parenting is SO hard. Cabanne has started writing about her thoughts and feelings and posting the blogs on her website.
*Trash TV
*Raising girls vs. boys
*Being a female entrepreneur and small business owner to a marketing firm, Kaleidoscope Management Group.
*Growing their Faith
New to Season 4, the Supermom Shoutout! Jill would like to acknowledge and recognize the hard work moms put in on the daily. It can be a thankless job at times, and Jill wants these moms to know their worth. This week’s Supermom Shoutout goes to Robyn of Wildwood, MO! Her husband, Mark, nominated her and said:
Since March we had both been working from home while also keeping a 3 year old safe and (relatively) content. While we identified the privilege of having that option, it was still stressful navigating all of it with an immuno-compromised daughter.
Now that classes are back in session, Robyn is working extra hard. She's a clinical nursing instructor at Maryville University and took on a behavioral health class (that she's never taught) this semester to help with the transition to online many schools are taking. She is typically talking to herself about how she can make things easier for her students without sacrificing quality. I am also in classes, so a few nights a week she solo-parents after work so I can focus on my own schooling.
Robyn – YOU are seen and YOU are supported!
To nominate a Supermom (or you can nominate yourself) email hello@jilldevine.com. Submit the name of the Supermom, where they're from, and a brief description as to why Jill should shout out this particular Supermom.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Evoke Creative
Hi! I’m Jill Devine and I want to tell you a little bit about my podcast, Two Kids and A Career. After 20-years as an on-air radio personality, I was inspired to create this podcast and give voice to the complexities of raising a family, having a career and simply just trying to keep it together.
As an entrepreneur, wife, and mama, the daily grind of trying to build a business, while taking care of kids, and trying to maintain a healthy connection with my hubby … it’s a lot! It can make you feel alone, isolated and questioning it all, which is why I started Two Kids and A Career. Whether it’s candid conversations with other moms or parenting experts who can share their knowledge and insight or me, rambling to just get it all out, Two Kids and A Career is an outlet to escape the stresses of everyday life and engage in real conversations.
No one can prepare you for motherhood, but there are certainly a tribe full of amazing individuals who can relate, understand, and offer their best advice and I’m proud to have that tribe in my corner and in your corner.
There will be tears, as well as laughter, but most importantly, there will be support. Take a listen and connect with me so we can grow and learn from one another.
Follow me on Instagram @jilldevine for the latest podcast updates and if you have a topic or guest, you’d like featured, DM me!
So, if you’re craving an open, honest conversation about the highs and lows of parenting, your career and home life, join me every week on Two Kids and A Career as we navigate this emotional roller-coaster know as parenthood!
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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This week’s episode is the last episode of Season 3.
Jill Devine realized she hadn’t really addressed what happened to her career. She had discussed it on social media and she even discussed it with several of her guests in Season 3, but she never talked about it on her own in an episode. Jill is best known as an on-air radio personality. She spent over 20 years in radio in the St. Louis market and on December 5, 2019, her former employer chose not to renew her contract, which ended her employment. Jill opened up about the emotional toll it took on her.
After a week of being unemployed, Jill started working with two wonderful women from Evoke Creative Co. They recognized Jill’s worth and invested in her. Jill is now an entrepreneur and small business owner thanks to Evoke Creative Co. Through their partnership, Jill Devine Media was created. Jill Devine Media houses the Two Kids and A Career podcast and website, https://www.jilldevine.com/. On the website, you can read blog posts on a number of topics and this is also where you can stay up to date on all things happening with Jill. Pssst – she has some other things up her sleeve and will keep you posted!
Season 3 was challenging for Jill because she relaunched the podcast amid a pandemic, while working from home with two little ones. To say it’s been challenging is an understatement and she plans to discuss that in more detail in Season 4. However, Season 3 had some incredible individuals on to help with all of the hardships that happened over the last few months; pandemic, race & racism, virtual learning and so much more.
Jill is taking a two-week break and Season 4 will launch on Wednesday, September 9th. Season 4 will contain even more candid conversations with other moms, there will still be experts on to help guide and provide knowledge, and new to Season 4 – the Supermom Shoutout. Be on the lookout for more details!
If you have a topic or guest you think Jill should cover on the podcast, email her: hello@jilldevine.com. Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Over a year ago, Jill Devine received an email from Jenita “Jay” Hladyshewsky asking to be a guest on the podcast. Jay is the Owner/Photographer of Bellissimo Studio. As described on her website:
As St. Louis Area's Premier Boudoir and Intimate Glamour Studio, we create meaningful experiences of self-love and empowerment through elegant intimate glamour and boudoir photography. Celebrate the beautiful woman you have become through a day of pampering, acceptance and love. Do It For You Because You Are Fine Art!
In all honesty, Jill wasn’t too sure about having Jay on because Jill wasn’t comfortable with intimate glamour and boudoir photography. After taking some time to think about it and running the idea past a close friend, Jill decided to contact Jay. Just because something makes Jill uncomfortable, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be discussed. That’s not the purpose of Two Kids and A Career. The podcast is platform to discuss all types of things, whether it makes you feel comfortable or not.
Contacting Jay and asking her to be on the podcast was 100% the right thing to do. Jay is a champion for women:
Jay took her passion for empowering others from her extensive years in the nonprofit field to empowering women through intimate glamour photography. Jay deeply believes women, today more than ever, must celebrate their accomplishments and femininity. She helps her clients find their strength, while capturing their own inner and outer beauty in a medium that can be remembered forever. Her philosophy is “You are fine art.”
Jay told Jill about the struggles she had with not feeling like she was enough. She didn’t think she was pretty enough or skinny enough. She knew she needed to change her way of thinking and that’s when transformation began. Jay and Jill discussed how, as women, we are so hard on ourselves and Jay wanted to show women how beautiful they are right now, in this moment, which is one of the reasons she opened up Bellissimo Studio.
Recently, Jay created EmbodyMe:
Working in collaboration with licensed therapists and facilitators, each workshop dives deep into discovering who you are and a reawakening of your beauty all while the visual empowerment photography coach brings to life the visual aspect of your journey. Whether it is an EmbodyMe session or a small group encouragement workshop, all events include a recording of your journey. Within each platform, the coach and trainer creates a space in which growth is encouraged, beauty is celebrated and love is embodied.
Jay also talked about being adopted and her journey in finding her birth mom in this week’s episode.
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/bellissimophotographystudio
IG - @bellissimo_photo_studio
Phone: 314.266.8549
Email: jay@bellissimophotos.com
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Throughout Season 3, Jill Devine has talked to several guests about food: the good, the bad, and the ugly. One consistent theme, Jill has concerns about her oldest daughter, Lu, and her pickiness with food. Jill took to her social media accounts to ask for help with Lu.
Carmen Berry showed up in Jill’s inbox with an amazing email. Here are some highlights:
My name is Carmen and I saw your request for recipes to get kids involved in the kitchen! I am a registered dietitian, a mom to an 8-month old (and an aunt to a 2 and 4-year-old), and I work at Operation Food Search! In my role at work, I am responsible for leading the nutrition education team to facilitate and build skills and knowledge that lead to sustained healthy eating habits in the community through hands-on cooking classes, interactive grocery store tours, cooking demonstrations, nutrition presentations, and other nutrition education outreach events. Just this past year, we launched our own internal hands-on kids cooking course called Operation CHEF, Culinary Habits to Empower Families. During the 6-week course, students ages 8-12 prepare delicious recipes and learn new cooking techniques.
I agree with many of your podcast guests that getting kids in the kitchen is really beneficial to open their mind to trying something new. Something else that you can try is bring your kid along to the grocery store! There are some studies that show when a kid is included in the planning of the meal and the grocery shopping, it increases the likelihood that they try the food item.
But it is important to be patient and keep trying! If your kids are helping shop and cook and still refuse the food, don’t get discouraged! Never force the issue because that usually backfires. Simply continue to make fruits and veggies a part of every meal and snack and offer them in a variety of ways. Be a good role model and eat the veggies offered at each meal. Eventually your picky eater will develop a taste for a few favorites.
My last resort I always suggest is what I call “stealth nutrition” which is sneaking in veggies into various recipes. I say last resort because this shouldn’t be your only strategy. It is important for picky eaters to see and experience a variety of veggies in a variety of ways.
Stealth Nutrition Ideas:
- You can add grated veggies to a lot of foods – fold into meatballs or meatloaf, add to a casserole, soup, or fried rice. It’s hard to pick out grated veggies since they are so small.
- Making tomato sauce? Add in shredded or diced veggies. Blend up in a blender to completely hide it if you’d like. Carrots add some natural sweetness to tomato sauce.
- Add fresh fruit to pancakes or muffin batters. A fun one is adding in grated carrots and apples to pancakes for a carrot cake like breakfast treat! Or make colored pancakes by adding in mashed up fruit like blueberries or raspberries to the batter.
- Fold pureed butternut squash or sweet potatoes into mac and cheese. The pureed orange veggies just disappear in the cheese sauce!
- Blend spinach into smoothies! I like to make a green smoothie with spinach, pineapple, banana and grapes. But if you’d like to hide it, blend it up with mixed berries. The purple hides it completely.
A recipe I have attached to this email is for turkey tacos – a tried and true recipe from Cooking Matters! Your daughter can grate the carrot, dump in the cans of beans and tomatoes, measure the spices, shred the cheese, and chop the lettuce and tomato with a plastic knife!
Jill was blown away by the email and invited Carmen on the podcast. They discussed the email in detail, as well as other ways to talk to Lu about food. The number one take away all parents should keep in mind – BE PATIENT AND BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL!
Lastly, because of the pandemic, every other Wednesday, Operation Food Search hosts a Facebook Live – called Cooking with Carmen! If you can’t watch it live, it’s recorded, and you will always have access online.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Rebekah Coste is a St. Louis Native and the answer to the popular St. Louis question, she went to Hazelwood West High School. After high school, she studied journalism and French at Mizzou. About five years out of college, she received an offer to teach English as a second language in Paris. She decided to go for it because at the time she was single, didn’t have any major obligations, and the timing was right. While she was there, she met her husband!!!
When Rebekah and her husband moved back to St. Louis, Rebekah started a new career as the owner and founder of St. Louis Moms Blog. St. Louis Moms Blog has only been in existence for less than two years but continues to grow. St. Louis Moms Blog is a locally focused parenting website written BY St. Louis moms, FOR St. Louis moms. They are passionate about the St. Louis community and the moms who live in the community. By using both their website as well as various social media outlets, they are able to keep moms up to date on family friendly activities around town, provide advice on parenting and motherhood, and encourage moms to get out and explore all St. Louis has to offer!
Rebekah said the moms who write for St. Louis Moms Blog come from all walks of life: foster moms, adoptive moms, moms who’ve lost babies, moms with infertility struggles , single moms, moms who are building businesses, moms who’ve beat cancer, moms who’ve had sick children, etc. She said she’s blown away by their strength and dedication.
In this week’s episode, Jill Devine and Rebekah talked about Rebekah’s love story, the incredible team of moms that make up St. Louis Moms Blog and personal parenting wins and fails.
IG - @stlmomsblog
FB - https://www.facebook.com/saintlouismom/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
"I want my children to live their best & healthiest lives full of love, laughter, & good food!" – Anya Corson
Amid the pandemic, we are learning how important it is to fuel our bodies with the best foods available to strengthen our immune system. America has become complacent when it comes to food and we want what’s quick and easy, but that is backfiring with the number of health issues Americans are facing, including obesity.
Jill Devine has been doing research on foods that help heal the body and support a healthy immune system. She continues to arm herself with as much knowledge as she can and that includes having guests like Anya Corson on the podcast.
With a career background including a B.A., culinary school, doula training, and certifications as an Eco-Maternity Consultant and Lactation Counselor, Anya has learned what the human body needs (and does not!) to thrive. Anya is the CEO and Founder of Anya’s Apothekere. While working hard to keep her daughter’s allergies in check and getting both of her children to eat the recommended daily amount of veggies, Anya set out to create a “superfood” that would appeal to her children’s sweet-loving taste buds, yet was packed with the health benefits she was seeking for her family.
The creation became Anya’s Apothekere Fermented Honey Sauces, which are handmade in small batches in St. Louis, Missouri using the highest quality ingredients on the market.
Anya talked to Jill about the importance of fermentation and how to heal our bodies from the inside. She also shared tips on involving your kids in the kitchen, which will result in them trying new foods. Her mission includes teaching kids the importance of a healthy gut and getting America healthy.
IG - @anyasapothekere
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/anyasapothekere
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
If you’re from the St. Louis area, you’ve probably seen Virginia Kerr on TV. She used to be a reporter, news anchor, and lifestyle host. Jill Devine always thought Virginia was full of energy, positivity, and happiness based on what she saw from Virginia on TV. Behind the camera, Virginia was none of those things.
Virginia came from a family that wasn’t great with communication. There were a lot of negative life events Virginia faced, so she turned towards food to eat her feelings away. It was at the age of 13 where she realized she was binge eating. She got help for the binge eating, but when she got older, she started drinking to cope with her feelings. It got to the point where she would drink herself to sleep and wake up every morning at 3am with negative thoughts. Those thoughts told her she was disgusting, and she was worthless. She never knew what it felt like to be happy and she had enough. In November 2018, she stopped drinking.
Once Virginia was sober, she began to recognize her worth and value. Through her television career, she learned a lot about video marketing and sales and she’s taken that knowledge to create a video coaching business. Video on social media is the quickest way to get someone to know you and to build trust and Virginia teaches people how to do this.
In this week’s episode, you will hear Virginia talk about her demons in further detail. You will also hear the advice she has for anyone struggling with an addiction and what she wished she would have had access to when she first realized she had a problem.
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Blondin Professional Real Estate
Erica Komisar, LCSW is a clinical social worker, psychoanalyst, and parent guidance expert who has been in private practice in New York City for over 30 years. A graduate of Georgetown and Columbia Universities and The New York Freudian Society, Ms. Komisar is a psychological consultant bringing parenting and work/life workshops to clinics, schools, corporations, and childcare settings including The Garden House School, Goldman Sachs, Shearman and Sterling and SWFS Early Childhood Center. Erica is the author of Being There: Why Prioritizing Motherhood in the First Three Years Matters, and is currently finishing a second book on the topic of adolescence.
From Erica:
“Depression and anxiety take root in childhood, which is why I see parents and mothers in particular who are concerned about their children’s mental health and emotional well being. I believe in early intervention and guidance as a way to prevent early symptoms in children from developing into long-term mental disorders.”
Through her research for the book Being There: Why Prioritizing Motherhood in the First Three Years Matters, Erica found at least 1 in 5 children have some form of mental illness. Mothers serve a critical biological function in a babies’ brain development
Jill Devine invited Erica to be a guest on the podcast to discuss Erica’s book, paid maternity leave and the lack of it in the United States of America, the impact of COVID-19 on a child’s well being, and value based conversations on race and racism.
You can access more information about Erica and the workshops she provides by visiting her website and her YouTube Channel.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
COVID-19 continues to dominate the news and continues to present challenges. Jill Devine wanted to get a medical professional on to discuss this very challenging virus.
Cindy Lefton joined Jill this week to provide a nurses’ perspective. Cindy has many accolades: she is a frontline care provider ER nurse in St. Louis, she is the pro bono Director of Research for The DAISY Foundation, and she is also the Vice President of Organizational Consulting at Psychological Associates, a St. Louis consulting company that applies behavioral science to business performance.
In 2010, Cindy began her partnership with The DAISY Foundation, an organization that recognizes and rewards nurses who go above and beyond in the service of patients and their families. Cindy's role as Director of Research at DAISY, a volunteer position, allowed the organization to grow exponentially and to provide recognition and encouragement to thousands of nurses. By recognizing the good being done by nurses around the world, Cindy has contributed to decreased rates of compassion fatigue and burnout, as well as increased nurse engagement in healthcare facilities that have adopted the DAISY Award. She recently spoke about extraordinary nurses and the need for meaningful recognition based upon a nationwide study of 1,100 nurses. Cindy told Jill stories about the incredible dedication of nurses, in general, but especially with the pandemic. She said the most important thing we can do to re-energize nurses is to simply say, “thank you”.
When asked her opinion on the future of COVID-19, Cindy said it’s such a nasty disease and there’s still a lot about the disease medical professionals don’t have answers to. She said the Southern Hemisphere is beginning their fall/winter season and what happens during this time will provide valuable insight for the United States. COVID-19 is killing a lot of people and those who survive could experience long-term effects. She’s uncertain when or if life will go back to “normal”, but the development of a vaccine will play a major role. Until then, we must practice social distancing, washing our hands constantly, and wearing masks.
You can access Cindy’s LinkedIn profile to learn more about her and how you can help.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Even though stay at home orders have been lifted and cities are opening up again, it will take time for small businesses to recover from the lost revenue due to the pandemic.
Jill Devine wanted to get an expert on to discuss the new tax guidelines, available loans, and other relief efforts available to business owners. Nicole Thousand is a CPA and the Founding Partner of Thousand CPA Services. Nicole tries to make accounting and number talk as easy as possible because she knows it can be confusing. Side note – she’s fun, fashionable, and likes to drink wine, which may not sound like your typical CPA.
Nicole and Jill talked about how busy CPA’s are during tax season and then you add COVID-19 on top of it, it made for a very interesting time. Nicole felt her team transitioned with ease to accommodate all that was happening in the world because Thousand CPA Services was designed with a working mom in mind. In the public accounting world, a work life balance is very difficult, so Nicole wanted to make sure her employees, who the majority were moms, could work remotely from home to help with the unusual hours, especially during tax season. When presented with quarantine and stay at home orders, Thousand CPA Services were able to meet the needs of their clients with minimal disruption.
Nicole discussed some of the items business owners should consider due to the pandemic. They include:
- The tax deadline was extended to July 15. 1st and 2nd quarter estimates are also due on July 15th.
- There are still relief options available for business owners. If a small business has not applied for a PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loan, it is possible to still apply.
- Communication, communication, and more communication. Every business owner should be working closely with their CPA. A cash flow conversation with your CPA is essential right now. Whether you have a PPP loan or not, you need to know what funds you have right now and what you think you will have in six months or even a year from now and how you will recover.
- Monthly accounting isn’t rocket science and most business owners can do the work, but it takes a lot of time to crunch all of the numbers and input the data. The time of a business owner is valuable, and the time used on monthly accounting could be applied towards marketing the business instead. Nicole said you should outsource as much as you can.
If you’re looking for help or advice, call Thousand CPA Services (636.532.9004) or check out their website.
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Blondin Professional Real Estate
Jill Devine has talked about her faith a few times in previous episodes, but not in depth. She has been growing her faith and learning more about Christ but has a lot to learn. She recently learned of a new podcast, Table Forty, which focuses on organic conversations about Jesus and life. It’s hosted by former St. Louis Cardinal Matt Holliday and his wife, Leslee Holliday. Jill reached out to Leslee to see if she would be a guest on the podcast and discuss her faith and how we turn to Christ on an everyday basis and even more so with the turmoil we are experiencing in the year 2020.
Leslee explained she has been a Christian for a long time and she really started to strengthen her faith while she was in college. She said when someone says they are a Christian, it can be blurry and not everyone knows what that means, including the individual who claims to be a Christian. In 2015, her close friend was getting divorced and the Christian community she was involved in treated her friend coldly because of the divorce. That incident made her want to learn even more about Christ and what scripture says about these types of situations, so she started reading lots of books and then she enrolled in school and is majoring in biblical studies. All of this led to the development of Table Forty.
Leslee and Jill discussed the different topics discussed on Table Forty and the different guests Matt and Leslee welcome to the “Table”. One thing Matt and Leslee discuss with their guests is the Great Commission. Jill was unsure what the Great Commission was, so she and Leslee talked about it.
The Hollidays are really good friends with Adam and Jenny Wainwright and Jill asked Leslee her thoughts about Jenny’s recent tweet about their adopted son who is black and what scripture says about racism. Leslee gave a great analogy by telling the “Starfish Story”. Ultimately, she told Jill “we need to learn some history and engage in an open perspective”.
If you’re interested in checking out Matt and Leslee’s podcast, this is how you can access Table Forty.
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Blondin Professional Real Estate
The reason Jill Devine was able to secure an interview with Dr. Kira Hudson Banks was because of this week’s guest, Katie Mohr. Katie’s sons went to school with Dr. Banks’s sons, which is how Katie and Dr. Banks know one another. Jill and Katie use to work together, which is how they know one another. So, Katie was able to put Jill and Dr. Banks in touch with one another to record an episode on having a conversation with your children about race and racism. Now that all the connections have been explained, let’s move on to Katie’s story.
Katie and her husband adopted both of their sons. Their oldest is Latino and their youngest is black. Katie and her husband both grew up with diversity in their lives, so they didn’t think any differently about welcoming children of different races into their home. They knew they would have tough conversations ahead of them, but Katie said they didn’t take into consideration how tough the conversations would be.
She has noticed a weird dynamic where many of her white friends are starting to listen to her more about the issues our country is facing with police brutality and racism because they love her boys and her friends don’t feel so far removed from the situation. While Katie welcomes the conversations, she also feels disappointed because this is what black women have been saying all along. The good news, more people are engaging in these tough conversations and want to do more.
Katie continues to educate herself by turning to women of color, like Dr. Kira Hudson Banks, and she encourages everyone to do the same. The book she referenced in the podcast is “Roadmap to Reconciliation: Moving Communities Into Unity, Wholeness and Justice” by Brenda Salter McNeil.
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Blondin Professional Real Estate
The latest murder of another black man, George Floyd, due to police brutality has caused millions of people to finally start educating their selves about race and racism and having conversations with one another. Jill Devine is one of the millions.
Jill reached out to Dr. Kira Hudson Banks. Dr. Banks has been described “as making the complex and controversial topic of race accessible and intergroup interactions more understandable”. Jill explained she was nervous and scared about having the conversation of race and racism with Dr. Banks, so she would sit back and listen to Dr. Banks. That is exactly what Dr. Banks does NOT want people to do. Yes, white people need to listen, but white people need to take action. She gave the analogy of The Mouse and The Elephant.
One book Dr. Banks recommends, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum, PH.D.
When asked about how you discuss race and racism with your children, Dr. Banks talked about why she created Raising Equity:
“Before we know it they will be the ones picking Supreme Court nominees and trying to solve the problems of society and I’ve been thinking raising kids who understand, have an analysis of oppression and are capable of systems thinking in addition to being people who see the humanity in people who are different from them is a tall order but a great longterm strategy to RESIST and move towards creating an equitable society.”
Dr. Banks gave some examples on how you address the topic with your children. The conversation between Jill and Dr. Banks was raw, honest, and VERY insightful.
For more information on Dr. Banks and to keep the conversation going, here’s how you can reach her:
Podcast: “Raising Equity” on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify
Facebook: "DrKiraBanks"/"Raising Equity"
Twitter: @kirabanks
Instagram: @DrKiraBanks
YouTube: "Raising Equity"
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Blondin Professional Real Estate
Debra Bryant is a pediatric therapeutic practice owner and a Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst. She is also the Co-Owner/Co-Founder of e-volvedLIFE. Debra has experience and success using video conferencing to deliver telehealth services to children with Autism for one on one therapy and group social skills. e-volvedLIFE was developed in response to COVID-19, as Debra and her team were looking for new and innovative ways to keep kids engaged and learning. Since Debra was able to deliver telehealth services successfully, she decided all people should have this opportunity to connect to others.
Debra and her team came up with the idea of virtual summer camps to provide some sort of normalcy for kids. She also recognizes the need for parents to have a break during the day, so the camps are designed for ages 7+, which allows the child to participate independently. While Debra specializes in services to children with Autism, the virtual camps are for all children of all abilities.
The other thing about Debra, she’s a working mom. At work, she felt empowered. At home, she felt empowered. However, once COVID-19 forced her to start working from home, suddenly the lines were blurred and there were no boundaries between work and family life. She explained to Jill Devine when those lines became blurred, she has found it to be hard to be successful at her job and hard to be successful as a mother. She feels like she isn’t doing any of it well.
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Shannon Buescher stuck around for a Part Two. In Part One, Shannon discussed diet culture and the damaging effects it has on women.
In Part Two, she talked more about diet culture and how society will deem a bigger body as a bad thing, so women measure everything based on external results. Diet culture makes you buy into weight stigma, so when the scale doesn’t move, it sets you up for failure. Instead, what women should think about is, if you’re doing things that make you feel good – food and movement – why isn’t that enough?
Shannon also discussed in detail what intuitive eating is. She told Jill Devine permission is the key part in healing your issues with food. It’s the scariest part, but necessary. She also said you must be curious because you need to experiment with different foods and how they make you feel. Shannon also suggested to be more dialed in and listen to what your mind and body are telling you.
Shannon’s final thoughts, “stay kind and stay curious”.
Follow Shannon on Instagram - @shannonbuescher, on Facebook, Hayes Nutrition.
Learn more about Shannon and start finding your freedom with food.
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Shannon Buescher is an intuitive eating & health at every size registered dietitian. She’s not your “average” dietitian. She helps you look at how you are prioritizing food and yourself in your life. She encourages changing the language you use with food and yourself to be kinder, more loving and self-honoring.
In Part One, Shannon talked to Jill Devine about “diet culture” and why so many women are failing because they aren’t intuitive eaters. A diet follows rules and people like to break rules. Diet culture also brings shame, so the mental side of dieting is damaging.
Jill has been very open about her struggles with self-image throughout several episodes, but in this episode, she opened up more about her food insecurities. Shannon helped shed some light on Jill’s struggles.
You can start finding your freedom with food with Shannon’s help.
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Jill Devine saw an article featuring St. Louis baker, Sarita Gelner. Sarita is an innovative baker, TV Chef & Lifestyle Expert. She’s also a stay-at-home mom. Sarita was on “The Great American Baking Show” and since appearing on “The Great American Baking Show”, Sarita has been on “The Tamron Hall Show” and is a regular on KSDK (NBC affiliate in St. Louis) and KTVI (FOX affiliate in St. Louis).
Jill was honored when Sarita agreed to be a guest on the podcast. Jill loves to bake, so she thought the conversation would be about Sarita’s experience on “The Great American Baking Show”, in addition to other food related topics. Those items were discussed, but so much more became a part of this episode. Such as: Sarita’s dark childhood, her movement to shine light on the efforts of minority women in the fields of food & media, her gratefulness for the life she is living, and women empowerment.
You can follow Sarita’s journey and get her free recipes through her blog, Ritzy Mom, and you can see the beautiful creations she makes on Instagram - @ritzymomblog
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Jessica Butler is a stepmom and an adoptive mom. In adding the titles of stepmom and adoptive mom to her life, she tried to find resources to help with her new role as a mom. She noticed through research 44% of women in America either have a stepchild, a stepparent, and/or step sibling. She kept looking for resources for non-traditional families and couldn’t find anything. She thought she was missing something because it was so obvious, yet there was nothing. This led to the question - how is there not a parenting magazine for non-traditional families in the year 2020?
After some more research and determination, Jessica gained a new title. She is the founder of Raise Magazine. Raise Magazine is described as:
A lifestyle site for modern mothers, featuring stories of stepparenting, adoption, foster care, surrogacy, and non-traditional families.
Jessica provided her perspective to Jill Devine about custody schedules, building traditions with her stepchildren, open adoption, birth moms, and much more in this week's episode.
You can follow Raise Magazine on Instagram - @raiseparentmag
https://raisemagazine.com/
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Bravery. Courage. Self Confidence. Love Yourself.
Those words are part of Judi Holler’s daily vocabulary and she wants us to make them part of our daily vocabulary. Judi is a motivational speaker, a best-selling author, a podcast host, a 90’s hip-hop expert, and so much more.
On this week’s episode, Jill Devine and Judi dove deep into Judi’s book, Fear Is My Homeboy. Jill loved reading this book and the message it delivers to its readers. Judi suggests participating in “fear experiments” because “if you don’t have the courage to get it wrong, you will never get it right”. The experiments don’t have to be big things to prove you’re brave. She encourages you to experiment with small things, such as setting an alarm in the morning or not hitting snooze. These small experiments help with your bravery and yes, “things can go wrong, but think about what can go right”.
Jill often talks about not wanting her girls to have self-esteem issues like she has, and Judi reminded Jill that when Jill’s girls see her do brave and courageous things, it’s contagious and they are learning from the best role model out there. Judi challenged Jill to be a fear role model, because “your self-love and courageous ways are contagious”.
If you text “Brave” to 474747, Judi is going to give you some freebies, which includes free chapters of Fear Is My Homeboy.
Don’t forget to follow Judi on Instagram - @judiholler and check out her podcast “The #FearBoss Show".
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Meditation can be a scary term because a lot of people feel like they aren’t doing it correctly, so they give up. There’s passive and active mediation and it’s super important to know which one you need to practice based on the moment you are in.
Tejal V. Patel joined Jill Devine this week to talk about the different meditation practices available to us and how beneficial meditation is for children. Tejal is starting a movement for family meditation because meditation isn’t just for parents, it’s for the entire family. The book she wrote, Meditation For Kids: 40 Activities to Manage Emotions, Ease Anxiety and Stay Focused, is the perfect resource for families looking to practice meditation. About the book:
Inspired by some of the greatest yogic teachings, these 40 exercises will help children combat the most common problems they face on a daily basis—distraction, anger, disappointment, jealousy, and low self-esteem. And these meditations aren’t just for kids. As you and your child make meditation a part of your daily routines, you will begin to notice YOU will feel less stressed, too. Practice with your child, and you’ll be on the right path to building deeper connections, open communication, and creating a more peaceful home environment.
Tejal compared daily meditation to brushing your teeth. You brush your teeth every day to prevent cavities and to keep your teeth clean. You need to brush your brain of yucky thoughts and mediation needs to be part of your daily hygiene; then it becomes a habit.
You can visit her website to purchase the book and to learn more about Tejal’s courses and trainings. Also, follow Tejal on Instagram @tejalvpatel. PROMO CODE: Before May 21st, you can get 50% off her Kids Can Meditate Course by using kidscanmeditate.
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Michelle Lynchard was Jill Devine’s final guest on Season 2 and Jill knew Michelle would be the perfect person to kick off Season 3 because everyone could use a little (actually, a lot) of calm in their lives right now.
Michelle specializes in helping overwhelmed, busy moms bring more calm to their lives and with the added stress everyone is facing with the quarantine, more mindful practices need to be done to help with overwhelmed feelings.
This episode served as a therapy session for Jill, as Michelle talked through some of the things that were making Jill feel anxious. Michelle then offered tips on how to calm Jill’s mind, such as focusing on what you can control, not what you can’t control. Michelle said people who are control freaks (Jill in included in this group) keep focusing on the end date of this virus and the quarantine, but since that is not determined, you have to focus on what you can do today. Michelle also said you must include something in your daily schedule to recharge your own being outside of your family and work obligations. She added that meditation is a good practice to start and she highly recommends the Breathe app for mediation practice.
If you’re feeling anxious and need some calm in your life, Michelle is offering a free one-hour coaching call. You can sign up for that call by accessing her website HERE.
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Michelle Lynchard sent an email to Jill Devine, proposing being a guest on the podcast.
Here’s some of that email:
I recently discovered your podcast and I am officially your new fan. :) I especially loved your episode with Allie Corey and Dana Dean (episode 19). I love the way you spread the message of “we’re all in this together” instead of “let’s judge other Moms.”
I am a Life Coach here in St. Louis. I specialize in helping overwhelmed, busy Moms bring more calm to their lives.
Would you be interested in doing an episode like “A Mom's Guide to a Calm Holiday Season”?
I’d love to work with you. Thanks for the good, positive Mom energy you’re putting out into the world.
Jill thought, “a calm holiday season”? 100%, YES! This episode taught Jill much more than how to create a calm holiday season. It was a very therapeutic episode and you will more than likely feel the same after you listen.
In the episode, Michelle refers to the holiday guide to help with your calm Holiday season. Here’s the link for the holiday guide: http://bit.ly/mlholiday
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This week's guest is STL Veg Girl.
If you live in the St. Louis area, you’re bound to know or have heard of Caryn Dugan, A.K.A. STL Veg Girl.
Caryn lost her Dad to cancer in 2008 and 10 weeks after his passing, she was diagnosed with cancer. She decided to take matters into her own hands and research immune boosting diets and cancer prevention tips. All searches led to a plant-based diet. Fast forward, those searches lead to Caryn opening the Nation’s first ever Center for Plant-Based Living!
In this week’s episode, Jill Devine and Caryn talked about the journey from cancer scare to entrepreneur. They also discussed how Caryn doesn’t have children and she often felt left out among her mommy friends, but now she understands her mommy friends a little bit more because her child is in the form of a brick and mortar.
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The biggest compliment Jill Devine can receive about this podcast is hearing about women talking to other women about how much they love this podcast and how much they can relate to it.
This week’s guest is one of those women. Arlene Browne is friends with Rachel Sauter (a guest in Season 1, Episode 8). Rachel told Jill how much Arlene loved the podcast and she would be a perfect guest to have on. She explained that Arlene is a business owner (Robust Wine Bar), a mom to two kiddos, and so much more.
This episode served as a therapy session for Arlene. She was able to let some things off her chest and Jill was able to reinforce how good of a mom she is. Chances are you will nod in agreement when you listen to this episode.
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Allie Corey and Dana Dean are TV personalities on KSDK News Channel 5, an NBC affiliate in St. Louis, Missouri. They both agree they knew what they signed up for when they chose television as their career, which comes with good and bad opinions by viewers. Most often, it’s bad opinions and most often, it’s bad opinions by other women. The two don’t understand why women aren’t lifting one another up instead of tearing one another down.
Both Allie and Dana are moms, and both have faced scrutiny of viewers for their looks and actions as mothers. Allie and Dana discussed their feelings about the scrutiny with Jill Devine.
They also talked about a VERY debatable topic, one that has never been discussed on this podcast before.
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Get ready to laugh (and maybe pee your pants a little bit) during this week’s episode of Two Kids and A Career, as Cat & Nat are Jill Devine's guests. Jill loves their mission “… to bring laughter and a sense of community to women and moms.”
Cat & Nat know a thing or two about motherhood; between the two of them, they have seven kids. They’ve experienced the loneliness of motherhood and unrealistic portrayals of motherhood, so they decided to do something about it … insert #MOMTRUTHS here. #MOMTRUTHS bring humor to topics that some moms are afraid to talk about and some of those topics are discussed in this week’s episode.
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“Have a meal with your family.” A simple, but very important statement made by Chef Liz of Tenacious Eats.
On this week’s episode, Chef Liz gave Jill Devine some great advice on getting Jill’s girls interested in all types of food and the importance of cooking with them.
Chef Liz and Jill also talked about the mom guilt Chef Liz felt while she was a restaurant chef and having to work nights. So, she figured out how to make a living still cooking, but on her own terms.
Oh, and you would think a chef would like to watch Food Network, right? She doesn’t because it’s unrealistic. Another reason not to assume!
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Travel does the mind and body good, right? According to Forbes Travel Guide, women who go on trips more frequently are less likely to become tense, depressed or tired and are happier with their marriages. Vacationing improves your mood and reduces stress. It also can temporarily help boost productivity.
Lauren Pronger can attest to all the above. Inspired by her father’s wellness-through-travel journey, Lauren witnessed the positive impact travel has on health from a very young age. Along with her husband, NHL Hall of Famer and former St. Louis Blue Chris Pronger, the couple have launched Well Inspired Travels.
Well Inspired Travels is a place to book health-centric vacations and explore healthy recipes, fitness tutorials, nutrition, beauty, health, and various travel products.
Jill Devine talked to Lauren and Chris about their new venture and a whole lot more, like how they met ;), on this week’s episode.
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“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.” John Grogan, American Author
Full disclosure, if you aren’t an animal lover or don’t understand how a pet can be considered part of your family, this episode isn’t for you.
The final episode of Season 1 is dedicated to Brian and Jill Devine’s first baby, Apple, an English Bulldog. A couple of months ago, Apple passed away unexpectedly.
A dedication is the least Jill could do. After all, she’s pretty much the reason why Jill started this podcast.
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Four women sharing the same story: each a working mom with emotional toddlers, each trying to handle and cope with their own emotions, and each trying to do their best every single day.
Joining Jill Devine this week, the ladies behind Socially Inspired (formerly Socially Jen & Co): Jen Singleton, Alicia Underwood, and Becky Lairson.
As experts of creating a filtered version within this constantly changing digital age, this week’s episode tapped into the unedited version of these hilarious ladies and their relationships with one another.
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This is the second episode devoted to discussing infertility. Shockingly, it’s only the second episode completely devoted to infertility talk, although most episodes so far have had mention of infertility in one way or the other.
Kate Rodenfels shared her infertility struggles with Jill Devine. She was able to identify at least five miscarriages she had while trying to get pregnant, but she thinks there could have been more.
Kate was very honest about her struggles, as well as the lessons she learned. Her hope in coming on this podcast is to help someone who may be going through a similar situation because she was all alone in her journey.
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Paul Cook is a recovering alcoholic AND he is battling cancer. Both of those things are difficult to have in your life and could affect you in a negative way, if you let it.
Paul talked to Jill Devine about his battle with alcohol and what he has learned from his risky behavior. He’s taking what he has learned and helping others by educating youth and parents about risky behavior and what can come from it.
He discussed “awareness parenting” and gave some great advice on how children can perceive some of their parent’s actions.
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On this week’s episode of Two Kids and A Career, a topic that still has a negative stigma attached to it is discussed. That topic is mental health.
Toni Peanick is an entrepreneur. She’s the owner of The Color Room, a local spa and salon located in Wentzville, Missouri. Being in an industry that focuses on looks, Toni feels the pressure to always look her best and always show the best version of herself. She opened up to Jill Devine about her battle with depression and anxiety and the way she coped with it in the past vs. the way she copes with it now.
Toni emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with people that want the same thing as you. If you are around people who don’t want the same thing as you or don’t lift you up, then those people aren’t your people.
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Imagine this - Christmas is right around the corner and you can’t afford to buy your child one gift. You don’t want to disappoint them, so you find something in your house and try to take it back to a store that doesn’t even carry the item you are trying to take back all because you want your child to have a gift under the Christmas tree on Christmas Day.
That was a hard reality for Dave Glover, host of the Dave Glover Show, and he talked to Jill Devine about his financial hardships and the lessons it has taught him as a father.
Dave has a son and a daughter, and he discussed how different his relationship is with each child. He gave Jill a lot of advice about the teenage years and how hard they are, especially having a teenage daughter. His best advice, “Be in the moment. Every single day.”
Here more about Dave’s career and parenting advice in this week’s episode.
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In Part 2 of Episode 11, Joy Holdmeier talked in detail about her three daughters and how she's raising them to not engage in negative self-image talk. Two words she constantly uses with her girls are the words STRONG and HEALTHY. She also tells her daughters not to focus on what someone's body looks like, but what the body is for.
Joy and Jill Devine continued the conversation about Joy's business, Go Fit Mom. Joy touched on how Got Fit Mom helps with self-development for women and how your health, energy, attitude, and your strength will help you get better at all areas of your life. She said to remember that small changes add up to huge results.
Take a listen to this week's episode for more motivational talk from a female entrepreneur.
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Joy Holdmeier is the creator of Go Fit Mom. She's "motivating & coaching you to become a fit mom, raise a healthy family, and create your happy life".
Joy talked to Jill Devine about Go Fit Mom and the REAL truth behind it. It's not about a diet or trying to be skinny because those things don't work. It's about being healthy - body and mind. It’s also about being real. People want real and Joy does what she can do to deliver as much realness as possible.
Go Fit Mom essentially is a tribe full of women who support, encourage, and lift one another up. Her motto is one to write down and keep close to your heart - "If you love your children, take care of their mother."
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Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley, the Moms behind #IMOMSOHARD, were Jill Devine’s guests this week. These ladies are hilarious, and they aren’t afraid to talk about their parenting fails and wins!
From their bio, “They laugh about all of the craziness that comes with being a mom and they want you to laugh about it too! From snot to stretchmarks to sleepless nights, Kristin and Jen know firsthand that parenting is a hard job ... They try, they fail, they support each other, and they mom as hard as they can.”
On this week's episode, the ladies talked about their current comedy tour (“Mom’s Night Out: Round 2”), married sex, their guilty pleasure food, being a “mom dancer”, advice for new moms, and SO much more!
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Jill Devine called upon her animal expert friend, Jamie Case, to help sort out some emotions. Jamie is the Executive Director at Gateway Pet Guardians and she’s no stranger to this podcast, as she joined Jill in Episode 4.
Jill has been having some conflicting feelings about her love for animals, especially her English Bulldog, Apple, now that she has children. Before Jill’s daughters were born, Apple was number one. She ruled the roost and could do no wrong. When Jill was pregnant with her first daughter, she was often told, “just wait until your daughter is born; things will change with Apple.” It bothered Jill to hear that, but now she finds herself saying that to her pregnant pet parent friends.
The conflicting feelings and emotions have been weighing heavily on Jill’s mind and she wanted to bring in an animal expert and a true animal lover to help her sort through it all.
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In Part Two of Episode 8, Jill Devine and Rachel Sauter spent most of the conversation discussing the future of social media and what it will look like concerning their daughters. Both Jill and Rachel agree social media is a necessary evil. It can be used as a source of good and it’s necessary for both women’s businesses. However, it can be harmful if you let it. Both ladies agree you need to unfollow or unfriend something/someone that doesn’t make you feel good and it’s completely ok to click that unfollow or unfriend button.
The discussion of social media turned into a discussion regarding screen time. When it comes to screen time and their daughters, Jill and Rachel have similar “rules”. Both women believe if you take something away and restrict "it", “it” becomes more desirable. Jill and Rachel allow their daughters screen time but understand it’s their job as parents to control and limit the use of technology.
Jill and Rachel also discussed the future goals of Leopard Boutique and the plans Leopard has for its clientele, which includes how Rachel and her staff can improve upon creating experiences for anyone who walks through Leopard’s doors.
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Who knew a decision to step inside a local business could change one’s mindset, while creating a friendship at the same time?!?!?
Jill Devine has been open about not being a huge fan of boutiques because of the stigma attached to them. Boutiques are often categorized as overpriced and the merchandise doesn’t typically cater to women of all sizes.
Jill stumbled across a boutique, Leopard, in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri and decided to check it out despite her feelings. She ended up meeting the owner, Rachel Sauter, and that meeting changed Jill’s attitude about shopping at a boutique.
That meeting also started a friendship and ignited inspiration within Jill. Leopard offers an experience of empowerment for its clientele and Rachel’s passion for creating experiences is making a difference in women’s lives. Rachel discusses her “why” in Part One of Episode Eight, as well as being a female entrepreneur.
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When Jill Devine was on maternity leave with her youngest daughter, she had a text exchange with one of her "non-mom" friends, Rachel Zimmerman. The night before their exchange, Jill experienced a weak moment with the baby (one of many) and she told Rachel about it.
Rachel's response wasn't what Jill was expecting and Jill wasn't sure why she didn't expect that kind of response. Rachel and Jill discuss the text exchange and Jill’s unexpected thoughts in this week’s episode, along with Rachel’s thoughts on motherhood.
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It’s very easy to assume celebrities have it all and they have zero insecurities. Why would someone who’s rich and famous dislike the way they look? Why would someone who is rich and famous be able to be Supermom and handle everything smoothly? That’s just ridiculous. Fame and fortune doesn’t make everything easier.
Carrie Underwood recently sat down with Natalie Morales and talked about her “Cry Pretty” tour and the struggles she is facing as a working mom. Carrie also talked to Natalie about how it has been harder for her to bounce back after baby #2. She’s trying to appreciate what her body CAN do instead of what it CAN’T do since having her two sons.
In this week’s episode, Jill Devine gave her thoughts about the interview.
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It was the first day of school for Michelle Kositzke’s daughter and Michelle doesn’t have fond memories of the day. As Michelle and her daughter were walking into school, another mother and daughter were walking in. The other mother verbally judged Michelle behind her back.
Michelle’s daughter heard everything and expressed her confusion. Michelle knew she had two choices: she could have exploded on the other woman OR she could use the situation as a teachable moment. She chose the latter.
Michelle and Jill Devine talked about the incident and how important it is for women to lift one another up and share in one another’s successes instead of putting one another down.
They also discussed the importance of raising their children to be kind, give compliments, be inclusive, and always be true to their self.
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Like most people, Jamie Case started developing her career before having kids. Jamie is the Executive Director of Gateway Pet Guardians (GPG), a nonprofit animal organization. She worked hard to get GPG where it is today, which includes opening a brand-new and much-needed resource center for the organization.
Now that she has two small children, she feels like she can’t give her all to GPG, but she wants to! Jill Devine and Jamie discussed how hard it is to manage work with two small children because you constantly feel like a distracted mom; you’re not present at work because you’re thinking about your kids and you’re not present at home because you’re thinking about work. Jamie said she realized there is no such thing as “work-life-balance” after listening to a “TED Talks”, which described life as “work-life-Jenga”.
Jamie also stressed the importance of teaching and showing her children a strong work ethic. She considers herself a strong, independent woman and she wants her children to recognize and model that same behavior. Like many other career-focused parents, Jamie is trying to figure it out by practicing patience and making mistakes along the way.
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About three years ago, Jill Devine started paying a little more attention to Hoda Kotb. Hoda is a co-anchor on NBC’s TODAY show.
When Jill’s oldest daughter was six months month old, Hoda announced she adopted a baby girl, Haley Joy. Jill instantly related to the love Hoda had for her first-born and immediately felt a connection with Hoda. Jill felt like she was experiencing all the same “firsts” along side Hoda.
Fast forward to Jill having her second daughter and Hoda adopting her second daughter, Hope Catherine, around the same time! Hoda said she wanted Haley to have a sibling to do life with and Jill felt the same way about her oldest daughter, Lu. Hoda also explained how she and Joel were considered “older parents” and Jill and her husband, Brian, are also considered older parents.
The connections continue for Jill with Hoda, even though Hoda has no idea who Jill is!!
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Everyone has an infertility story. Some stories are longer than others and that’s the case with this week’s guest, Erika Murphy.
Erika knew she needed and wanted to be a mom. It consumed her life. When she couldn't get pregnant, she was in disbelief.
She shared her infertility story with Jill Devine, which included quitting a job she loved because of the amazing environment they provided for new moms (YES, you read that correctly), hormone treatment, weight gain, depression, a rocky relationship with her husband, and so much more.
Erika also gave some great advice on how to be there for someone who is struggling with infertility issues.
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Welcome to the first episode of the Two Kids and A Career Podcast with Jill Devine!
This podcast came to fruition when Jill was on maternity leave with her oldest daughter. She was experiencing a number of emotions and feelings she wasn't prepared for and she wondered why she wasn't prepared. She had read all the books on preparing for a baby, talked to her family and friends about what to expect as a new mother, but she couldn't figure out why she felt so unprepared as a new mother.
In the "launch" episode, Jill explains how those emotions and feelings left her feeling isolated and she also discusses the exact moment she knew she had to start this podcast.
Two Kids and A Career Website: https://www.jilldevine.com/
Two Kids and A Career Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jilldevine/?hl=en
Two Kids and A Career Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillDevineMedia/