Powermomma Podcast

Episode 21: A Kitchen Table Conversation – The Mother Code, With Guest, Ruthie Ackerman

Show Notes: Ruthie Ackerman, The Mother Code In this episode of PowerMomma, Sam sits down with Ruthie Ackerman, author of The Mother Code and founder of the Ignite Writers Collective, for a rich conversation about motherhood, identity, family mythology, infertility, creativity, and the stories women inherit before they even know they are carrying them. Ruthie shares how her book grew out of a lifelong question about whether or not she wanted to become a mother, especially after growing up with complicated stories about abandonment, family history, and what motherhood was supposed to look like. Together, Sam and Ruthie talk about the pressure women feel to choose between motherhood and ambition, creativity and caregiving, selfhood and family, as if life were some neat little multiple-choice quiz written by the patriarchy. This conversation moves through the uncertainty of motherhood, the emotional weight of infertility, thoughts on "having it all," and the power of rewriting the narratives we were handed. Ruthie also shares how motherhood deepened her creative voice rather than silencing it, and how her work through the Ignite Writers Collective helps women get their stories and books out into the world. In this episode, we talk about: * Ruthie's book, The Mother Code * Being "on the fence" about motherhood * Family mythology and inherited stories * The myth that motherhood has to be all or nothing * Infertility, IVF, donor eggs, and becoming a mother later in life * Motherhood as a radical act * Creativity, writing, and finding your voice after becoming a mother * Why women's stories matter * The power of rewriting the narrative instead of living inside someone else's version This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered who they are allowed to become, especially after motherhood, grief, infertility, career shifts, family expectations, or one of those delightful life plot twists no one asked for. It is a conversation about questioning the old stories, telling the truth, and making room for a fuller, messier, more honest version of a good life. About Ruthie Ackerman Ruthie Ackerman is the author of The Mother Code and the founder of the Ignite Writers Collective, where she helps writers develop their ideas, books, essays, memoirs, and proposals. She is a developmental editor, writing teacher, and longtime journalist who is passionate about helping women figure out what they are trying to say and how to say it. Connect: Connect with Ruthie Ackerman: here [https://www.ruthieackerman.com/] LinkedIn: here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthieackerman/] Buy The Mother Code: here [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-mother-code-my-story-of-love-loss-and-the-myths-that-shape-us-ruthie-ackerman/dc032ebca3342fdc?ean=9780593730119&next=t&next=t]Learn more about Ignite Writers Collective: here [https://www.ruthieackerman.com/ignitewriterscollective] Follow Ruthie on Instagram: here [https://www.instagram.com/ruackerman/] Connect with Sam + Storytime [https://www.storytimela.com/] Join The Kitchen Table Revolution LinkedIn: Samantha Hoey Nelson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahoeynelson/] Storytime LA Instagram: @storytimela [https://www.instagram.com/storytimela/] Powermomma Instagram: @powermommapodcast [https://www.instagram.com/powermommapodcast/] Newsletter - Sign Up Here [https://samanthahoey.substack.com/]

Episode 20: A Kitchen Table Conversation – Sober Curious: The Ritual Without the Regret, With Guest, Fiona McEntee

In this episode of The PowerMomma Podcast, Sam sits down with Fiona McEntee, co-founder of Nouvie, a premium dealcoholized wine brand created for people who still want the ritual, the sparkle, and the grown-up glass without the sleep sabotage, sugar bomb, or next-day regret. Fiona's story starts in Dublin, where she grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, watching her mother build businesses, take risks, and model what it means to create something from scratch. After moving to the United States, Fiona built a successful immigration law firm in Chicago with her brother, working with clients across sports, entertainment, music, family immigration, and more. But during COVID, a wellness reset unexpectedly changed her relationship with alcohol and eventually sparked the idea for Nouvie. The quote that got me from this conversation was simple: "You're never going to wake up clear the next morning and wish you had been drinking." And honestly, that is the whole episode. This conversation gets into the real-life middle space so many women are living in right now: not necessarily sober, not anti-alcohol, but much more honest about how drinking affects sleep, anxiety, focus, hormones, parenting, and the ability to function like a semi-responsible adult in a house full of people who keep needing snacks. Sam and Fiona talk about wine culture, motherhood, menopause, ambition, entrepreneurship, the rise of low-alcohol and no-alcohol options, and why so many women are quietly rethinking what actually feels good now. This episode is not about labels. It is about choice. It is about intention. It is about keeping the ritual without paying for it the next morning. And sometimes the answer is: a beautiful glass of sparkling wine that does not ruin your sleep, your mood, or your next morning. Here is a 10% discount code to give Nouvie a try - code is PowerMomma https://www.drinknouvie.com/discount/PowerMomma [https://www.drinknouvie.com/discount/PowerMomma] To Connect with Fiona + Nouvie https://www.drinknouvie.com/ [https://www.drinknouvie.com/] LinkedIn: Fiona McEntee [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionamcentee/] Nouvie Instagram: @drinknouvie [https://www.instagram.com/drinknouvie/] Connect with Sam + Storytime Join The Kitchen Table Revolution [https://www.storytimela.com/] LinkedIn: Samantha Hoey Nelson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahoeynelson/] Storytime LA Instagram: @storytimela [https://www.instagram.com/storytimela/] Powermomma Instagram: @powermommapodcast [https://www.instagram.com/powermommapodcast/] Newsletter - Sign Up Here [https://samanthahoey.substack.com/]

Episode 19: A Kitchen Table Conversation – The High-Performing Home, With Guest, Gayle Walker

This week on The Powermomma Podcast, I'm talking with Gayle Walker about something so many women live every day but rarely stop to name: the invisible load of home. Gayle is the founder of Life Doula Inc., a retired Navy nurse, and a home management strategist who helps families build better systems of care and support. In this conversation, we talk about what happens when women are high-functioning everywhere else, but home is still expected to run on one person's mental tabs, emotional labor, and sheer willpower. We get into burnout, cognitive load, family values, dinner, laundry, kids helping at home, and why support is not weakness. It is strategy. One of my favorite takeaways from Gayle is this: just because you can do it all does not mean you should. That one hits. This is a conversation about building a life that actually supports the woman living it. And frankly, more of us need that. Gayle L. Walker is the Founder of Life Doula Inc. and a Chief Home Management Strategist who helps high-performing professionals scale their lives — not just their careers. With 25+ years of experience across military nursing, healthcare leadership, and family care, she teaches leaders how strategic household infrastructure increases capacity, reduces burnout, and strengthens relationships. Through her High-Performing Home framework, Gayle is leading a conversation about how the absence of leadership at home is quietly destabilizing modern success. To Connect with Gayle Website - mylifedoula.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylelwalker/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/]@mylifedoula Care for Life in the Middle - https://vimeo.com/1043598658 Why I do this work - https://vimeo.com/1153770739 Witnessing a Care Crisis - https://vimeo.com/1153853046 https://strengthonstages.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Gayle-Walker.pdf Connect with Sam + Storytime + Kitchen Table Revolution The Kitchen Table Revolution: storytimela.com/kitchen-table [https://www.storytimela.com/] LinkedIn: Samantha Hoey Nelson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahoeynelson/] Storytime LA Instagram: @storytimela Powermomma Instagram: @powermommapodcast Newsletter - Sign Up Here [https://storytime-8.kit.com/cdd69f3963]

Episode 18: A Kitchen Table Conversation – Not The Path We Were Given, With Guest, Casey Hanisko

Episode Description: In this episode of the PowerMomma Podcast, Sam sits down with Casey for a rich conversation about women's leadership, purposeful growth, and what it really means to build a business that fits your values instead of someone else's definition of success. Casey shares her path from the travel industry and executive leadership into coaching and consulting for small business owners, mostly women. Together, Sam and Casey talk about redefining power, building a business around the life you actually want, and why growth for growth's sake is a trap so many women are finally rejecting. They also explore the parallels between travel and leadership, from communication and contingency planning to cultural curiosity and courage. The conversation moves into sustainability, motherhood, reinvention, and the importance of finding your people and owning your niche. This is a thoughtful, honest conversation for women building something meaningful while also trying to live a full human life. In this episode, we talk about: * Casey's path from travel leadership to executive coaching * What travel teaches us about leadership, planning, and communication * Why more women are redefining power, success, and ambition * Building a business around values, not just status or money * The difference between sustainable growth and growth for growth's sake * Why so many women undervalue their time and underprice their work * The challenge of trying to do too much at once * How to get clearer on your niche and what makes your business different * What it means to model courage and purpose for our kids Key Takeaways * Power does not have to look hard-edged to be real * A successful business should support your life, not consume it * Sustainable growth starts with valuing your time properly * Clarity around values and niche makes better decisions easier * Women are allowed to lead as whole people, not edited-down versions of themselves Connect with Casey Website: www.caseyhanisko.com Newsletter: www.caseyhanisko.com/newsletter LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caseyhanisko/ Connect with Sam + Storytime + Kitchen Table Revolution The Kitchen Table Revolution: storytimela.com/kitchen-table [https://www.storytimela.com/kitchen-table] LinkedIn: Samantha Hoey Nelson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahoeynelson/] Storytime LA Instagram: @storytimela [https://www.instagram.com/storytimela/] Powermomma Podcast Instagram: @powermommapodcast [https://www.instagram.com/powermommapodcast/]

Episode 17: A Kitchen Table Conversation – Wear your thoughts. Find your people., With Guest, Haely White, For The Feels

In this episode of The Powermomma Podcast, Sam takes it to the hill with Haely White, founder of For the Feels, a Los Angeles-based apparel brand built around humor, identity, visibility, and connection. Haely shares how her background in advertising and love of language evolved into a statement-wear brand designed to help people "wear your thoughts" and find their people. For the Feels is made in Los Angeles and centers on soft, premium pieces meant to spark recognition, conversation, and community. Sam and Haely talk about creative reinvention, entrepreneurship, queer visibility, motherhood, community, and the courage it takes to show up more fully as yourself. It's a conversation about building something bigger than a product, and using creativity as a way to connect, resist, heal, and bring more joy into the world. Connect with Haely + For the Feels Website: https://forthefeels.co/ [https://forthefeels.co/] For the Feels Instagram: @forthefeelsco [https://www.instagram.com/forthefeelsco/] Haely's Instagram: @haelywhite [https://www.instagram.com/haelywhite/] Connect with Sam + Storytime + Kitchen Table Revolution The Kitchen Table Revolution: storytimela.com/kitchen-table [https://www.storytimela.com/kitchen-table] LinkedIn: Samantha Hoey Nelson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthahoeynelson/] Storytime LA Instagram: @storytimela [https://www.instagram.com/storytimela/] Powermomma Podcast Instagram: @powermommapodcast [https://www.instagram.com/powermommapodcast/]