The Working Mom Show

The Field Guide Nobody Wrote: Pat Hankin on Surviving — and Thriving — as a Single Working Mom

When Pat Hankin couldn't find a single fact-based, practical book for single parents — she wrote one herself. A management consultant, single mom, and author of The Field Guide for Single Parents, Pat spent years moderating an online community of nearly half a million single parents, answering the same questions over and over, and realizing that the information existed — it just hadn't been put together for the people who actually needed it. So she did. In this conversation, Pat is sharp, funny, and refreshingly no-nonsense about what it actually takes to navigate single parenthood without a backup — financially, professionally, and emotionally. We cover: * Why single parenthood isn't just "hard" — it's 300 tasks that all land on one person * The unconventional financial advice Pat swears by, including why buying a used car might actually cost you your job * Why stepping back in your career as a single mom is not a failure — and how to think about it strategically * How to build your own "composite partner" from the people already around you * The one thing Pat wishes someone had said to her during those years — and why shame has no place in this conversation * Why single parents are losing their friend groups, and what the people around them can actually do about it Pat's daughter, who grew up with a mother who had no backup, is now a scientist at a major research facility. As Pat puts it: the independence wasn't a gap — it was a gift. Buy Pat's book here [https://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Single-Parents-Practical/dp/B0FVQK9W9J/ ] If today's episode resonated with you, I'd love to stay connected. You can find me at mompire.eu [http://mompire.eu], or come say hi on LinkedIn — just search Klara Ganter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/klaraganter/]. And if you're a corporate mom wondering what your next move looks like, take my free quiz at mompire.eu/quiz [http://mompire.eu/quiz]. It takes five minutes and gives you a real starting point.

3 Days a Week, 6 Figures in 2 Years: How Cailen Ascher Built a Business Around Motherhood

What if the "least logical time" to start a business was actually the best time? When Cailen Ascher's first daughter was born, she made a decision that defied all the conventional advice: she cut her working hours to three days a week and expanded into a completely new market. Two years later, she had a six-figure business — and her schedule still revolved around her girls. Cailen is a business mentor for women coaches and entrepreneurs who want to build something meaningful without sacrificing the life they actually want to live. In this conversation, she pulls back the curtain on how she did it — and how you can too. We cover: * Why starting a business when your baby is newborn might not be as crazy as it sounds * The mindset shift that makes working fewer hours and earning more money actually possible * How Cailen uses meditation as the "soft transition" between work mode and mom mode * The three questions that will help you find your million-dollar business idea in five minutes * What it means to be "spiritually grounded" in business — and why it makes you magnetic to the right clients * How she structures her days now around school hours, and why she lets her schedule shift with the seasons This episode is for the mom who feels that undeniable spark inside her — and is ready to stop waiting for the perfect moment to act on it. Get in touch with Cailen here: Turn Your Magic into Money {On-Demand Workshop} www.CailenAscher.com/selfled [http://www.cailenascher.com/selfled] The Self-Led Woman {Substack} https://cailenascher.substack.com/ [https://cailenascher.substack.com/] @Cailen.Ascher on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cailen.ascher/ [https://www.instagram.com/cailen.ascher/] Website: www.CailenAscher.com [http://www.cailenascher.com/]  If today's episode resonated with you, I'd love to stay connected. You can find me at mompire.eu [mompire.eu], or come say hi on LinkedIn — just search Klara Ganter. And if you're a corporate mom wondering what your next move looks like, take my free quiz at mompire.eu/quiz [mompire.eu/quiz]. It takes five minutes and gives you a real starting point. Links are in the show notes.

When the Money Runs Out: What a CPA Mom of Four Learned About Resilience, Debt & Reinvention

Are you a mom struggling with your career? Find out in 2 minutes your new direction: www.mompire.eu/quiz [www.mompire.eu/quiz] What do you do when you're a financial professional — and you find yourself $650,000 in debt, with four kids, $100 a week in child support, and no job? That's exactly where Nancy Benet, CPA and founder of Success Your Way and Fix-It Accounting, found herself after her divorce. And instead of staying down, she built something extraordinary. In this episode, Nancy opens up about the financial and emotional rock bottom that followed the collapse of five businesses, and the mindset shift that changed everything. This isn't just a story about money — it's a story about worthiness, resilience, and what it really means to start over on your own terms. You'll learn: * Why the first step out of any financial crisis is simply saying it out loud to someone * What a "New Zero" is — and how this one concept helped Nancy save $30,000 in 90 days * The four-step process she uses to manage her mindset and manifest real results * Why money problems are really internal problems — and how your childhood shaped your relationship with money * Why failure isn't failing, but quitting is Whether you're navigating debt, divorce, or just wondering if it's too late to reinvent yourself, Nancy's story is proof that baby steps — taken consistently — can move mountains. Get in touch with Nancy: www.successyourway.com/ [http://www.successyourway.com/]  www.fixitaccounting.com [http://www.fixitaccounting.com/] www.Instagram.com/success.your.way [http://www.instagram.com/success.your.way] www.facebook.com/SuccessYourWayCommunity [http://www.facebook.com/SuccessYourWayCommunity] https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/profile/in/nancy-benet-cpa-18145014 [https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/profile/in/nancy-benet-cpa-18145014] Buy her book on Amazon: [https://www.amazon.com/Tame-Your-Money-Monster-Financial/dp/B0GJ4V91QF]TAME YOUR MONEY MONSTER written by Nancy Benet & Adrienne Freeland

Burnout Is Biological: How a Physician Mom of Five Rebuilt Success on Her Own Terms with Dr. Amy Loden Tiffany

Are you struggling in your career as a mom: Find your direction with this 2 minute quiz: www.mompire.eu/quiz [www.mompire.eu/quiz] What happens when a physician, founder, and mom of five hits a wall so hard she ends up in the hospital — and then rebuilds from scratch? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Amy Loden-Tiffany, who has navigated burnout, miscarriages, twins, a foster baby, perimenopause, and a TEDx talk — all while raising five children and running her own medical practice. Amy breaks down why burnout isn't just emotional — it's biological. She explains the stress hormones wreaking havoc on working moms' bodies, why the "move more, eat less" advice is dangerously oversimplified, and the powerful moment her 7-year-old's question made her realize something had to change. You'll learn: * Why your body responds to a missed deadline the same way it responds to a lion * The 80/20 truth about diet and exercise no one is telling you * How Amy went from sacrificing her family for her career to building a business that serves her family * The one question to ask yourself if you're becoming the bottleneck in your own life * Three free, practical health habits for time-strapped moms If you've ever felt like your ambition and your family are pulling you in opposite directions, this conversation will give you a new framework — and a lot of permission to do things differently. Get in touch with Amy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-loden/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-loden/] Website: http://www.vitalitymwc.org [http://www.vitalitymwc.org] Instagram: @dramytiffany [https://www.instagram.com/dramytiffany/]

Matrescence & The Good Girl Trap: Redefining Identity with Dr. Angele Close

Want to work with Klara? Book a free discovery call here. [https://calendly.com/ganterklara/call-with-klara] In this deeply transformative episode, Klara Ganter speaks with Dr. Angele Close about the hidden psychological shifts that occur when a high-achieving professional becomes a mother. Angele shares her personal "awakening"—moving from a "worker bee" mentality in graduate school to the realization that her "good girl" childhood hadn't prepared her for the reality of raising strong-willed, neurodiverse children. We explore the concept of matrescence—the profound physical, emotional, and identity shift similar to adolescence that remains largely unrecognized in modern society. If you have ever felt like you "suck" at balancing your passions with your role as a mom, this episode will provide the vocabulary and validation you need to stop turning against yourself. In this episode, we discuss: * The Survivor Mode Phase: Juggling graduate school and early motherhood with "forward-focused" ambition. * Matrescence: Understanding the profound identity transformation that every mother undergoes. * The "Good Girl" Archetype: How being an obedient child can create a "naive idea" of parental control. * Internal Family Systems (IFS): How to navigate the "parts" of us—the inner critic, the overachiever, and the exhausted mom. Get in touch with Angele here: https://www.drangeleclose.com/ [https://www.drangeleclose.com/] Book: https://www.drangeleclose.com/unburdening-motherhood-book [https://www.drangeleclose.com/unburdening-motherhood-book] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drangeleclose/ [https://www.instagram.com/drangeleclose/]