Episode 31: Rebranding Midlife: Why Women Are Quietly Rebuilding Their Lives After 40

Episode 31: Rebranding Midlife: Why Women Are Quietly Rebuilding Their Lives After 40

There is a quiet exodus happening in midlife. Women are leaving jobs. Leaving marriages. Leaving titles. Leaving identities that once defined them. Here’s the controversial part, women are not unraveling in midlife because they’re fragile. Women are just finally unwilling to live misaligned, so they’re recalibrating. Nearly 30% of women consider leaving the workforce during midlife transitions — often citing burnout, caregiving, and health shifts as contributing factors (McKinsey Women in the Workplace reports). In this opening episode, we are sitting down with three powerful voices: • Lisa Schneider, founder of Pearl & Rose, who is rebranding midlife through curated community and conversation • Jennifer Gularson, a national expert in perimenopause, menopause, and longevity medicine • Samantha McDaniel, aging services professional specializing in dementia care and individualized aging We explore why so many women in their 40s and 50s are recalibrating careers, launching businesses, shifting identities, and questioning structures that no longer fit. This conversation is about: • Entrepreneurship after identity shifts • Empty nest transformation • The power of curated spaces for honest conversations • And why women need rooms where they can speak freely about hormones, burnout, caregiving, and reinvention

Episode 30: Building Beyond Yourself: Legacy, Mentorship, and Community Impact

Success isn’t the finish line—it’s the foundation for legacy. In this heartfelt finale, Sandra opens up about what it means to give back, lift others as you climb, and build a community rooted in equity and empowerment. From mentoring women to serving on key leadership councils, Sandra’s journey reveals that the most powerful structures we build aren’t made of concrete—they’re made of connection. Sandra Hofmeister is the President and Owner of A&S Construction, LLC [https://ansconstruction.net/], a Certified Woman-Owned and Minority-Owned Business redefining what leadership looks like in the trades. Once an accountant, Sandra traded her calculator for a construction hat—rising from the back office to the boardroom in one of the most male-dominated industries in America. Today, she’s a powerhouse entrepreneur, community leader, mentor, and advocate for equity and empowerment. Recognized as a Top 50 EmPowered Leader, two-time Tradesperson of the Year, and 2025 SHERO Award recipient, Sandra is proof that when women build, communities rise. Part 3 of 3

Episode 29: Breaking Ground: Leading Boldly in a Male-Dominated Industry

Sandra didn’t just find a seat at the table—she built the table herself. In this conversation, we talk about what it takes to claim your space, command respect, and change the culture of an entire industry. From managing multimillion-dollar operations to mentoring the next generation of women in trades, Sandra shares the mindset, strategy, and heart behind leading fearlessly in spaces that weren’t designed for you. Sandra Hofmeister is the President and Owner of A&S Construction, LLC [https://ansconstruction.net/], a Certified Woman-Owned and Minority-Owned Business redefining what leadership looks like in the trades. Once an accountant, Sandra traded her calculator for a construction hat—rising from the back office to the boardroom in one of the most male-dominated industries in America. Today, she’s a powerhouse entrepreneur, community leader, mentor, and advocate for equity and empowerment. Recognized as a Top 50 EmPowered Leader, two-time Tradesperson of the Year, and 2025 SHERO Award recipient, Sandra is proof that when women build, communities rise. Part 2 of 3

Episode 28: From Spreadsheets to Steel-Toes: Reinvention in Real Time

What does it take to walk away from a stable career and build something entirely new—especially in a world that wasn’t built for you? Sandra Hofmeister went from crunching numbers in accounting to running a multimillion-dollar construction company. In this episode, she opens up about how she turned uncertainty into opportunity, the lessons she learned from the ground up, and what it really means to build a life—and a business—from the foundation of faith, grit, and persistence. Sandra Hofmeister is the President and Owner of A&S Construction, LLC [https://ansconstruction.net/], a Certified Woman-Owned and Minority-Owned Business redefining what leadership looks like in the trades. Once an accountant, Sandra traded her calculator for a construction hat—rising from the back office to the boardroom in one of the most male-dominated industries in America. Today, she’s a powerhouse entrepreneur, community leader, mentor, and advocate for equity and empowerment. Recognized as a Top 50 EmPowered Leader, two-time Tradesperson of the Year, and 2025 SHERO Award recipient, Sandra is proof that when women build, communities rise.  Part 1 of 3

Episode 27: What You Can’t See Still Counts: Invisible Disabilities, Leadership, and the Practice of Grace

Not all leadership challenges are visible. In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Louérs-Phillips opens up about living with a permanent invisible disability since 1996 and what it has meant to lead while managing fatigue, pain, and societal assumptions. Together, we explore how workplace cultures reward performance while often punishing honesty, and why empathy and grace must become leadership competencies, not afterthoughts. This conversation is about aging, adaptation, advocacy, and the quiet courage of telling the truth about what your body needs. Eric Louérs-Phillips is a lifelong educator, systems-level leader, and trusted voice at the intersection of education, equity, and community impact. A native Washingtonian, Eric has spent more than two decades serving Maryland’s public schools as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, curriculum specialist, and district leader, always with a steady focus on accelerating achievement while honoring the humanity of those he serves.  He currently serves as the Associate Superintendent of Public Affairs for Frederick County Public Schools and is deeply engaged in civic and community leadership, serving on multiple boards across education, health care, philanthropy, and economic development. Eric is also an adjunct professor and a proud graduate of Morgan State University and Hood College, where he earned his Doctorate in Organizational Leadership.  Grounded in faith, mentorship, and lived experience, Eric brings a rare blend of clarity, humility, and grace to conversations about leadership, identity, and wellbeing. He is known for leading with integrity, telling the truth even when it’s uncomfortable, and reminding us that what we don’t see still matters.