The Breadwinners Podcast https://thebreadwinners.co/ en They say you can't have it all — that mothers must choose between ambition and presence. But what if we're asking the wrong question? On The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos redefines what it means to be a Breadwinner in modern culture, moving it far beyond the paycheck. Through raw, honest conversations with women like Morgan Zanotti (CEO of Primal Kitchen), Nicole Trunfio (CEO of Bumpsuit), and Eve Rodsky (Author of Fair Play & Find Your Unicorn Space), we explore what it really takes to bring financial richness, emotional richness, and systemic change to our families. This isn't about balance, it's about integration. Not perfection, but wholeness. Whether you're already navigating motherhood and career, building your empire before kids arrive, or reimagining what family leadership looks like, these conversations will challenge everything you've been told about what's possible. The Breadwinners: Where ambitious mothers aren't just earning a living, they're pioneering a new era for themselves, and everyone who comes next. Learn more at thebreadwinners.co. https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/de2afeea-b8f8-11f0-afb4-dfc49638fbb1/image/30d33e19b529a190b2ab3ebdc10753e2.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress The Breadwinners Podcast https://thebreadwinners.co/ no episodic Redefining Modern Work & Motherhood Alexis Contos They say you can't have it all — that mothers must choose between ambition and presence. But what if we're asking the wrong question? On The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos redefines what it means to be a Breadwinner in modern culture, moving it far beyond the paycheck. Through raw, honest conversations with women like Morgan Zanotti (CEO of Primal Kitchen), Nicole Trunfio (CEO of Bumpsuit), and Eve Rodsky (Author of Fair Play & Find Your Unicorn Space), we explore what it really takes to bring financial richness, emotional richness, and systemic change to our families. This isn't about balance, it's about integration. Not perfection, but wholeness. Whether you're already navigating motherhood and career, building your empire before kids arrive, or reimagining what family leadership looks like, these conversations will challenge everything you've been told about what's possible. The Breadwinners: Where ambitious mothers aren't just earning a living, they're pioneering a new era for themselves, and everyone who comes next. Learn more at thebreadwinners.co. They say you can't have it all — that mothers must choose between ambition and presence. But what if we're asking the wrong question?

On The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos redefines what it means to be a Breadwinner in modern culture, moving it far beyond the paycheck. Through raw, honest conversations with women like Morgan Zanotti (CEO of Primal Kitchen), Nicole Trunfio (CEO of Bumpsuit), and Eve Rodsky (Author of Fair Play & Find Your Unicorn Space), we explore what it really takes to bring financial richness, emotional richness, and systemic change to our families.

This isn't about balance, it's about integration. Not perfection, but wholeness.

Whether you're already navigating motherhood and career, building your empire before kids arrive, or reimagining what family leadership looks like, these conversations will challenge everything you've been told about what's possible.

The Breadwinners: Where ambitious mothers aren't just earning a living, they're pioneering a new era for themselves, and everyone who comes next.

Learn more at thebreadwinners.co.

]]> Alexis Contos contact@lightningpod.fm 'I Am Enough': Iskra Lawrence on Breaking the Industry, Building Saltair, and Choosing Presence Over Performance Iskra Lawrence built one of the fastest-growing body care brands in America,  ⁨Saltair , without paying herself a salary. That's not the beginning of the story. It's barely the middle. This episode traces one of the most honest founder journeys in beauty: a girl from Kidderminster UK told that she was too curvy for straight-size modeling and too small for plus-size. A model who cold-called brands directly, walked into a New York agency at 22 with a pitch deck, and made a veteran agent cry — because no model had ever done that before. A woman who challenged the retouching culture at Aerie, built one of the earliest honest communities on Instagram, and then found herself in COVID isolation with a newborn, not showering, barely holding on. SaltAir was born out of the pain she lived, and the hope she needed for herself, and millions of other women. Alexis and Iskra go deep on what it actually costs to build something real while mothering two young children — the guilt of clocking off at 2:30 to do school pickup, why Iskra reinvests every dollar back into the brand, how postpartum broke her open and gave her a company, and what empathy looks like as a breadwinner in a marriage where financial power isn't split evenly. In this episode: How Iskra went from eating disorder to building a body care brand doing nine figures in retail The cold-calling strategy that bypassed modeling's gatekeepers — and what it actually means to outwork a broken system Why she launched Saltaire without venture capital and has never taken a paycheck What postpartum depression in 2020 isolation looked like — and the habit that started her recovery Her honest take on the "3-hour bombing" discourse and how she leads a flexible, family-first team at Saltair Why empathy — not hustle — is her superpower as a breadwinner About Iskra Lawrence: Iskra Lawrence is a model, body image advocate, and founder of Saltair — currently a top-three body care brand at Ulta and one of the fastest-growing at Target. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and the BBC's 100 Most Influential Women, she spent six years challenging beauty industry norms as an Aerie model before building her own brand from the ground up. She lives in Austin with her husband Philip and their two children. Follow Iskra:@iskra on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok @saltair on all social channels Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 12 May 2026 11:02:00 -0000 full 1 20 Alexis Contos Iskra Lawrence built one of the fastest-growing body care brands in America,  ⁨Saltair , without paying herself a salary. That's not the beginning of the story. It's barely the middle. This episode traces one of the most honest founder journeys in beauty: a girl from Kidderminster UK told that she was too curvy for straight-size modeling and too small for plus-size. A model who cold-called brands directly, walked into a New York agency at 22 with a pitch deck, and made a veteran agent cry — because no model had ever done that before. A woman who challenged the retouching culture at Aerie, built one of the earliest honest communities on Instagram, and then found herself in COVID isolation with a newborn, not showering, barely holding on. SaltAir was born out of the pain she lived, and the hope she needed for herself, and millions of other women. Alexis and Iskra go deep on what it actually costs to build something real while mothering two young children — the guilt of clocking off at 2:30 to do school pickup, why Iskra reinvests every dollar back into the brand, how postpartum broke her open and gave her a company, and what empathy looks like as a breadwinner in a marriage where financial power isn't split evenly. In this episode: How Iskra went from eating disorder to building a body care brand doing nine figures in retail The cold-calling strategy that bypassed modeling's gatekeepers — and what it actually means to outwork a broken system Why she launched Saltaire without venture capital and has never taken a paycheck What postpartum depression in 2020 isolation looked like — and the habit that started her recovery Her honest take on the "3-hour bombing" discourse and how she leads a flexible, family-first team at Saltair Why empathy — not hustle — is her superpower as a breadwinner About Iskra Lawrence: Iskra Lawrence is a model, body image advocate, and founder of Saltair — currently a top-three body care brand at Ulta and one of the fastest-growing at Target. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and the BBC's 100 Most Influential Women, she spent six years challenging beauty industry norms as an Aerie model before building her own brand from the ground up. She lives in Austin with her husband Philip and their two children. Follow Iskra:@iskra on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok @saltair on all social channels Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Iskra Lawrence built one of the fastest-growing body care brands in America,  ⁨Saltair , without paying herself a salary. That's not the beginning of the story. It's barely the middle.


This episode traces one of the most honest founder journeys in beauty: a girl from Kidderminster UK told that she was too curvy for straight-size modeling and too small for plus-size. A model who cold-called brands directly, walked into a New York agency at 22 with a pitch deck, and made a veteran agent cry — because no model had ever done that before. A woman who challenged the retouching culture at Aerie, built one of the earliest honest communities on Instagram, and then found herself in COVID isolation with a newborn, not showering, barely holding on.


SaltAir was born out of the pain she lived, and the hope she needed for herself, and millions of other women.


Alexis and Iskra go deep on what it actually costs to build something real while mothering two young children — the guilt of clocking off at 2:30 to do school pickup, why Iskra reinvests every dollar back into the brand, how postpartum broke her open and gave her a company, and what empathy looks like as a breadwinner in a marriage where financial power isn't split evenly.


In this episode:

  • How Iskra went from eating disorder to building a body care brand doing nine figures in retail
  • The cold-calling strategy that bypassed modeling's gatekeepers — and what it actually means to outwork a broken system
  • Why she launched Saltaire without venture capital and has never taken a paycheck
  • What postpartum depression in 2020 isolation looked like — and the habit that started her recovery
  • Her honest take on the "3-hour bombing" discourse and how she leads a flexible, family-first team at Saltair
  • Why empathy — not hustle — is her superpower as a breadwinner


About Iskra Lawrence: Iskra Lawrence is a model, body image advocate, and founder of Saltair — currently a top-three body care brand at Ulta and one of the fastest-growing at Target. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and the BBC's 100 Most Influential Women, she spent six years challenging beauty industry norms as an Aerie model before building her own brand from the ground up. She lives in Austin with her husband Philip and their two children.


Follow Iskra:@iskra on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

@saltair on all social channels

Join The Breadwinners community:

Subscribe on Substack

Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners

Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4565 The Aesthetics Episode: Anatomy, Honesty, and What You Actually Need The aesthetics industry is largely run by marketing. Adriana Culling built her practice to be the exception. Adriana is the founder of Maeva Aesthetics in Austin - a nurse injector with a background in clinical research and a near-complete second degree in chemistry who chose building her own aesthetics business specifically so she would never feel pressure to upsell a patient or inject something that wasn't in their best interest. This episode cuts through the noise: what Botox and filler actually do, how to spot a bad injector before they touch your face, which treatments are worth it and which ones aren't, and why wanting to look refreshed doesn't make you vain or less yourself. What you'll learn: - How to vet an injector before you sit in the chair — and the red flags that should send you walking out - What "natural results" actually means and why most practices aren't delivering it - The difference between what you think you need and what your face actually needs - Which trending treatments are overhyped, which are worth it, and why it almost always depends on the individual - What it means to build a medical practice as a working mom — and why Adriana walked away from med school to do it ___________________________ Follow Adriana: TikTok Instagram: The_Austin_Injector Maeva Aesthetics _______________________________________ Episode references: Yardsticks Book for Childhood Development SkinBetter skincare products Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0000 Botox, Filler, and the Truth the Aesthetics Industry Hides full 1 19 Alexis Contos The aesthetics industry is largely run by marketing. Adriana Culling built her practice to be the exception. Adriana is the founder of Maeva Aesthetics in Austin - a nurse injector with a background in clinical research and a near-complete second degree in chemistry who chose building her own aesthetics business specifically so she would never feel pressure to upsell a patient or inject something that wasn't in their best interest. This episode cuts through the noise: what Botox and filler actually do, how to spot a bad injector before they touch your face, which treatments are worth it and which ones aren't, and why wanting to look refreshed doesn't make you vain or less yourself. What you'll learn: - How to vet an injector before you sit in the chair — and the red flags that should send you walking out - What "natural results" actually means and why most practices aren't delivering it - The difference between what you think you need and what your face actually needs - Which trending treatments are overhyped, which are worth it, and why it almost always depends on the individual - What it means to build a medical practice as a working mom — and why Adriana walked away from med school to do it ___________________________ Follow Adriana: TikTok Instagram: The_Austin_Injector Maeva Aesthetics _______________________________________ Episode references: Yardsticks Book for Childhood Development SkinBetter skincare products Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices The aesthetics industry is largely run by marketing. Adriana Culling built her practice to be the exception. Adriana is the founder of Maeva Aesthetics in Austin - a nurse injector with a background in clinical research and a near-complete second degree in chemistry who chose building her own aesthetics business specifically so she would never feel pressure to upsell a patient or inject something that wasn't in their best interest. This episode cuts through the noise: what Botox and filler actually do, how to spot a bad injector before they touch your face, which treatments are worth it and which ones aren't, and why wanting to look refreshed doesn't make you vain or less yourself. What you'll learn: - How to vet an injector before you sit in the chair — and the red flags that should send you walking out - What "natural results" actually means and why most practices aren't delivering it - The difference between what you think you need and what your face actually needs - Which trending treatments are overhyped, which are worth it, and why it almost always depends on the individual - What it means to build a medical practice as a working mom — and why Adriana walked away from med school to do it

___________________________


Follow Adriana:

TikTok

Instagram: The_Austin_Injector

Maeva Aesthetics

_______________________________________


Episode references:

Yardsticks Book for Childhood Development

SkinBetter skincare products

Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 5240 Your Body, Your Baseline: Pranitha Patil on Function Health, Women's Health Data, and Building While Becoming a Mother The tests exist. The science has been here for decades. The only thing that's ever been missing is access. Pranitha Patil co-founded Function Health because she lived the gap herself. Diagnosed with PCOS at 16, pre-diabetes and high cholesterol in her 20s, she spent years running experiments on her own body, tracking her biomarkers in a spreadsheet before she had the language for what she was actually doing. She was her own baseline because no research existed for South Asian women like her. Function Health now has nearly 500 employees, has delivered over 50 million health results, and 65% of its members are women - which tells you everything about who shows up when you actually give them the information about their own bodies. The membership is $365 a year. One dollar a day. And Pranitha became a first-time mother in the middle of all of it - while the company was scaling, while funding rounds were closing, while everything was happening at once. She's here to talk about what that actually looked like. In this episode: Why health data is a power issue, not just a wellness trend—and what changes when women have access to their own biomarkers How Function Health works: 100+ biomarkers per test, early cancer detection (50 cancer types), and what it means to build a longitudinal health picture over time The women's health gap - the research that doesn't exist and what Pranitha did when told she couldn't be put on statins because no one had studied her yet Building and founding in seasons: how Pranitha and her husband structured their household so one could sprint while the other held the ground On becoming a mother inside a hyper-growth company: what she expected, what blindsided her, and why she thinks founder and mother are more complementary than the world wants you to believe Perimenopause, women's health literacy, and the conversation our mothers never got to have Resilience as a learned skill - what the "soft" 20-year-old version of Pranitha built that the founder version depends on today Use the code: BREADWINNERS50 for $50 off when you sign up for Function Health Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0000 full 1 18 Alexis Contos The tests exist. The science has been here for decades. The only thing that's ever been missing is access. Pranitha Patil co-founded Function Health because she lived the gap herself. Diagnosed with PCOS at 16, pre-diabetes and high cholesterol in her 20s, she spent years running experiments on her own body, tracking her biomarkers in a spreadsheet before she had the language for what she was actually doing. She was her own baseline because no research existed for South Asian women like her. Function Health now has nearly 500 employees, has delivered over 50 million health results, and 65% of its members are women - which tells you everything about who shows up when you actually give them the information about their own bodies. The membership is $365 a year. One dollar a day. And Pranitha became a first-time mother in the middle of all of it - while the company was scaling, while funding rounds were closing, while everything was happening at once. She's here to talk about what that actually looked like. In this episode: Why health data is a power issue, not just a wellness trend—and what changes when women have access to their own biomarkers How Function Health works: 100+ biomarkers per test, early cancer detection (50 cancer types), and what it means to build a longitudinal health picture over time The women's health gap - the research that doesn't exist and what Pranitha did when told she couldn't be put on statins because no one had studied her yet Building and founding in seasons: how Pranitha and her husband structured their household so one could sprint while the other held the ground On becoming a mother inside a hyper-growth company: what she expected, what blindsided her, and why she thinks founder and mother are more complementary than the world wants you to believe Perimenopause, women's health literacy, and the conversation our mothers never got to have Resilience as a learned skill - what the "soft" 20-year-old version of Pranitha built that the founder version depends on today Use the code: BREADWINNERS50 for $50 off when you sign up for Function Health Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices The tests exist. The science has been here for decades. The only thing that's ever been missing is access.


Pranitha Patil co-founded Function Health because she lived the gap herself. Diagnosed with PCOS at 16, pre-diabetes and high cholesterol in her 20s, she spent years running experiments on her own body, tracking her biomarkers in a spreadsheet before she had the language for what she was actually doing. She was her own baseline because no research existed for South Asian women like her.


Function Health now has nearly 500 employees, has delivered over 50 million health results, and 65% of its members are women - which tells you everything about who shows up when you actually give them the information about their own bodies. The membership is $365 a year. One dollar a day.


And Pranitha became a first-time mother in the middle of all of it - while the company was scaling, while funding rounds were closing, while everything was happening at once. She's here to talk about what that actually looked like.


In this episode:

  • Why health data is a power issue, not just a wellness trend—and what changes when women have access to their own biomarkers
  • How Function Health works: 100+ biomarkers per test, early cancer detection (50 cancer types), and what it means to build a longitudinal health picture over time
  • The women's health gap - the research that doesn't exist and what Pranitha did when told she couldn't be put on statins because no one had studied her yet
  • Building and founding in seasons: how Pranitha and her husband structured their household so one could sprint while the other held the ground
  • On becoming a mother inside a hyper-growth company: what she expected, what blindsided her, and why she thinks founder and mother are more complementary than the world wants you to believe
  • Perimenopause, women's health literacy, and the conversation our mothers never got to have
  • Resilience as a learned skill - what the "soft" 20-year-old version of Pranitha built that the founder version depends on today

Use the code: BREADWINNERS50 for $50 off when you sign up for Function Health


Join The Breadwinners community:

  • Subscribe on Substack
  • Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners
  • Rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4267 no Your body isn't broken: We're Talkin Postpartum Recovery, Pelvic Floor Myths, & Building Through the Seasons Your body isn't broken. You just haven't had the right person in your corner. Dr. Alexis Griffin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a board-certified sports clinical specialist, and the woman who has kept NFL players, NBA athletes, and Olympic competitors performing at the top of their game. She has also navigated four pregnancies, four unmedicated deliveries, and four postpartum recoveries — each time rebuilding herself with the same rigor she brings to elite athletes. Now she's opening a gym in Austin and entering one of the most expansive seasons of her career. In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with her friend and PT, Dr. Alexis Griffin, to talk about what women's bodies actually need — and what the fitness industry keeps getting wrong. In this episode: Why your pelvic floor needs to yield, not just strengthen — and what that actually means The difference between stability and strength, and why stability wins every time How moving well in daily life (picking up a baby, bending over the crib) is more powerful than 45 minutes at the gym Four unmedicated births: what they taught her about trusting her body — and herself The season she stepped away from her PT practice for a tech sales job at 39 — and why it was the right call How she and her husband manage a dual-income household with four kids, a new gym build, and a nanny who makes it all possible Why she believes effort is the most important thing to model for children in the age of AI The gym she's building in Austin and the philosophy behind it: member experience first, always Dr. Alexis Griffin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and board-certified sports clinical specialist based in Austin, Texas. With over a decade working with professional and Olympic athletes, she has spent her career translating elite performance principles into tools that help real people — especially mothers — move better, recover smarter, and build forward. Learn more at dralexisgriffin.com. Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Please rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find our show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0000 full 1 17 Alexis Contos with Dr. Alexis Griffin, Doctor of Physical Therapy & Elite Sports Specialist Your body isn't broken. You just haven't had the right person in your corner. Dr. Alexis Griffin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a board-certified sports clinical specialist, and the woman who has kept NFL players, NBA athletes, and Olympic competitors performing at the top of their game. She has also navigated four pregnancies, four unmedicated deliveries, and four postpartum recoveries — each time rebuilding herself with the same rigor she brings to elite athletes. Now she's opening a gym in Austin and entering one of the most expansive seasons of her career. In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with her friend and PT, Dr. Alexis Griffin, to talk about what women's bodies actually need — and what the fitness industry keeps getting wrong. In this episode: Why your pelvic floor needs to yield, not just strengthen — and what that actually means The difference between stability and strength, and why stability wins every time How moving well in daily life (picking up a baby, bending over the crib) is more powerful than 45 minutes at the gym Four unmedicated births: what they taught her about trusting her body — and herself The season she stepped away from her PT practice for a tech sales job at 39 — and why it was the right call How she and her husband manage a dual-income household with four kids, a new gym build, and a nanny who makes it all possible Why she believes effort is the most important thing to model for children in the age of AI The gym she's building in Austin and the philosophy behind it: member experience first, always Dr. Alexis Griffin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and board-certified sports clinical specialist based in Austin, Texas. With over a decade working with professional and Olympic athletes, she has spent her career translating elite performance principles into tools that help real people — especially mothers — move better, recover smarter, and build forward. Learn more at dralexisgriffin.com. Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Please rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find our show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Your body isn't broken. You just haven't had the right person in your corner.


Dr. Alexis Griffin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a board-certified sports clinical specialist, and the woman who has kept NFL players, NBA athletes, and Olympic competitors performing at the top of their game. She has also navigated four pregnancies, four unmedicated deliveries, and four postpartum recoveries — each time rebuilding herself with the same rigor she brings to elite athletes. Now she's opening a gym in Austin and entering one of the most expansive seasons of her career.


In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with her friend and PT, Dr. Alexis Griffin, to talk about what women's bodies actually need — and what the fitness industry keeps getting wrong.


In this episode:

  • Why your pelvic floor needs to yield, not just strengthen — and what that actually means
  • The difference between stability and strength, and why stability wins every time
  • How moving well in daily life (picking up a baby, bending over the crib) is more powerful than 45 minutes at the gym
  • Four unmedicated births: what they taught her about trusting her body — and herself
  • The season she stepped away from her PT practice for a tech sales job at 39 — and why it was the right call
  • How she and her husband manage a dual-income household with four kids, a new gym build, and a nanny who makes it all possible
  • Why she believes effort is the most important thing to model for children in the age of AI
  • The gym she's building in Austin and the philosophy behind it: member experience first, always

Dr. Alexis Griffin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and board-certified sports clinical specialist based in Austin, Texas. With over a decade working with professional and Olympic athletes, she has spent her career translating elite performance principles into tools that help real people — especially mothers — move better, recover smarter, and build forward. Learn more at dralexisgriffin.com.


Join The Breadwinners community:

  • Subscribe on Substack
  • Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners
  • Please rate & review wherever you listen — it helps more women find our show


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4370 Saved Seats | Aileen Fitzgerald on The Art of Devotion: Leaving Nursing, and Chasing Her Dreams *THIS IS A REPLAY FROM AN EARLIER EPISODE IN SEASON 1* Aileen Fitzgerald left a nearly decade-long nursing career, ended a long-term relationship, and moved into a new home the night before the Austin snow apocalypse, with four weeks of rent money and a set of paint brushes. This episode is about what it looks like to burn your life down in order to build one that is actually yours. Aileen Fitzgerald is a world-renowned painter and former ICU nurse whose work captures what she calls the landscapes of the human condition. She joins Alexis Contos on The Breadwinners to talk about the art of devotion — being fully present with your children while pursuing your deepest calling — and why emotional richness is its own form of wealth. What we cover: How the pandemic cracked open a decade of emotional starvation and led Aileen back to her brushes What "structuring for freedom" actually looks like as a working artist and mother The single moment she realized no one was coming to save her, and what she did next How her art collections map directly to her inner life: sepia tones for survival, green for healing, red for love Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, neuroplasticity, and why holding your younger self's hand is a real practice Acupuncture, Barton Springs, and other non-negotiables for resetting your nervous system Why presence isn't a personality trait — it's a learned skill that starts with going outside About Aileen Fitzgerald: Aileen Fitzgerald is an Austin-based painter whose work explores landscape, color, and the interior life of being human. She spent nearly nine years as a critical care nurse before walking away entirely to rebuild her life as a professional artist. Her work is available through galleries and at aileenfitzart.com. Find her on Instagram: @aileenfitzart Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate and review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0000 full 1 Alexis Contos *THIS IS A REPLAY FROM AN EARLIER EPISODE IN SEASON 1* Aileen Fitzgerald left a nearly decade-long nursing career, ended a long-term relationship, and moved into a new home the night before the Austin snow apocalypse, with four weeks of rent money and a set of paint brushes. This episode is about what it looks like to burn your life down in order to build one that is actually yours. Aileen Fitzgerald is a world-renowned painter and former ICU nurse whose work captures what she calls the landscapes of the human condition. She joins Alexis Contos on The Breadwinners to talk about the art of devotion — being fully present with your children while pursuing your deepest calling — and why emotional richness is its own form of wealth. What we cover: How the pandemic cracked open a decade of emotional starvation and led Aileen back to her brushes What "structuring for freedom" actually looks like as a working artist and mother The single moment she realized no one was coming to save her, and what she did next How her art collections map directly to her inner life: sepia tones for survival, green for healing, red for love Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, neuroplasticity, and why holding your younger self's hand is a real practice Acupuncture, Barton Springs, and other non-negotiables for resetting your nervous system Why presence isn't a personality trait — it's a learned skill that starts with going outside About Aileen Fitzgerald: Aileen Fitzgerald is an Austin-based painter whose work explores landscape, color, and the interior life of being human. She spent nearly nine years as a critical care nurse before walking away entirely to rebuild her life as a professional artist. Her work is available through galleries and at aileenfitzart.com. Find her on Instagram: @aileenfitzart Join The Breadwinners community: Subscribe on Substack Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Rate and review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices *THIS IS A REPLAY FROM AN EARLIER EPISODE IN SEASON 1*


Aileen Fitzgerald left a nearly decade-long nursing career, ended a long-term relationship, and moved into a new home the night before the Austin snow apocalypse, with four weeks of rent money and a set of paint brushes.


This episode is about what it looks like to burn your life down in order to build one that is actually yours.


Aileen Fitzgerald is a world-renowned painter and former ICU nurse whose work captures what she calls the landscapes of the human condition. She joins Alexis Contos on The Breadwinners to talk about the art of devotion — being fully present with your children while pursuing your deepest calling — and why emotional richness is its own form of wealth.


What we cover:

  • How the pandemic cracked open a decade of emotional starvation and led Aileen back to her brushes
  • What "structuring for freedom" actually looks like as a working artist and mother
  • The single moment she realized no one was coming to save her, and what she did next
  • How her art collections map directly to her inner life: sepia tones for survival, green for healing, red for love
  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, neuroplasticity, and why holding your younger self's hand is a real practice
  • Acupuncture, Barton Springs, and other non-negotiables for resetting your nervous system
  • Why presence isn't a personality trait — it's a learned skill that starts with going outside


About Aileen Fitzgerald:

Aileen Fitzgerald is an Austin-based painter whose work explores landscape, color, and the interior life of being human. She spent nearly nine years as a critical care nurse before walking away entirely to rebuild her life as a professional artist. Her work is available through galleries and at aileenfitzart.com. Find her on Instagram: @aileenfitzart


Join The Breadwinners community:

Subscribe on Substack

Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners

Rate and review wherever you listen — it helps more women find this show.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4845 EP. 16 | Alison Fragale on Why You Do Care What People Think | The Breadwinners Podcast The formula for women's success isn't what you've been told. It's not your title, your salary, or your track record. It's your status — how much others respect and value you. And the way women build it is completely different from what most of us have been taught. Alison Fragale is an organizational psychologist, tenured professor, former McKinsey consultant, and the author of the national bestseller Likable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve. She has spent 20 years studying status, influence, and how women can build both — without compromising who they are. In this episode, Alexis Contos and Alison unpack the real science behind what makes women respected, valued, and powerful — at work, at home, and everywhere in between. What you'll learn in this episode: 🔬 Why status is a resource — just like money and health — and how to build and spend it strategically 💡 The "caring + capable" equation: the two signals that determine how others perceive you (and what most women get wrong) 🧠 How Alison went from feeling like a fraud at McKinsey to building a 20-year career on the one thing she was told wasn't serious: reading people 📊 Why "I don't care what people think" is a story we only tell ourselves when we're in pain — and what to say instead 🎭 The resting bitch face problem — and what it teaches us about non-verbal status signals 👩‍👧‍👦 Why the way you parent multiple kids is the exact same skill as influencing people at work (and why we feel proud of one but ashamed of the other) ✈️ What an American Airlines Concierge Key reveals about status symbols vs. actual status 🏗️ How to build status before you need it — and why career transitions feel so disorienting 💬 The fastest way to build status in a room full of strangers 🤝 Why women wait too long to negotiate — and what to do about it Whether you're navigating corporate life, building something new, or figuring out how to show up differently in 2026, this conversation will change how you walk into your next room. 📚 Books mentioned: Likable Badass by Alison Fragale Quit by Annie Duke Deep Work by Cal Newport Talk by Alison Wood Brooks 🥂 Join The Breadwinners community: → ⁠Subscribe to our Substack⁠ → ⁠Follow on Instagram⁠ → Rate & review wherever you listen to our pod — it helps more women find our show 🔗 Connect with Alison Fragale: → Alison's Instagram → Alison's LinkedIn → www.alisonfragale.com Recorded live during SXSW in Austin, Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000 full 1 16 Alexis Contos Why You Do Care What Other People Think The formula for women's success isn't what you've been told. It's not your title, your salary, or your track record. It's your status — how much others respect and value you. And the way women build it is completely different from what most of us have been taught. Alison Fragale is an organizational psychologist, tenured professor, former McKinsey consultant, and the author of the national bestseller Likable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve. She has spent 20 years studying status, influence, and how women can build both — without compromising who they are. In this episode, Alexis Contos and Alison unpack the real science behind what makes women respected, valued, and powerful — at work, at home, and everywhere in between. What you'll learn in this episode: 🔬 Why status is a resource — just like money and health — and how to build and spend it strategically 💡 The "caring + capable" equation: the two signals that determine how others perceive you (and what most women get wrong) 🧠 How Alison went from feeling like a fraud at McKinsey to building a 20-year career on the one thing she was told wasn't serious: reading people 📊 Why "I don't care what people think" is a story we only tell ourselves when we're in pain — and what to say instead 🎭 The resting bitch face problem — and what it teaches us about non-verbal status signals 👩‍👧‍👦 Why the way you parent multiple kids is the exact same skill as influencing people at work (and why we feel proud of one but ashamed of the other) ✈️ What an American Airlines Concierge Key reveals about status symbols vs. actual status 🏗️ How to build status before you need it — and why career transitions feel so disorienting 💬 The fastest way to build status in a room full of strangers 🤝 Why women wait too long to negotiate — and what to do about it Whether you're navigating corporate life, building something new, or figuring out how to show up differently in 2026, this conversation will change how you walk into your next room. 📚 Books mentioned: Likable Badass by Alison Fragale Quit by Annie Duke Deep Work by Cal Newport Talk by Alison Wood Brooks 🥂 Join The Breadwinners community: → ⁠Subscribe to our Substack⁠ → ⁠Follow on Instagram⁠ → Rate & review wherever you listen to our pod — it helps more women find our show 🔗 Connect with Alison Fragale: → Alison's Instagram → Alison's LinkedIn → www.alisonfragale.com Recorded live during SXSW in Austin, Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices The formula for women's success isn't what you've been told. It's not your title, your salary, or your track record. It's your status — how much others respect and value you. And the way women build it is completely different from what most of us have been taught.


Alison Fragale is an organizational psychologist, tenured professor, former McKinsey consultant, and the author of the national bestseller Likable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve. She has spent 20 years studying status, influence, and how women can build both — without compromising who they are.


In this episode, Alexis Contos and Alison unpack the real science behind what makes women respected, valued, and powerful — at work, at home, and everywhere in between.


What you'll learn in this episode:

🔬 Why status is a resource — just like money and health — and how to build and spend it strategically

💡 The "caring + capable" equation: the two signals that determine how others perceive you (and what most women get wrong)

🧠 How Alison went from feeling like a fraud at McKinsey to building a 20-year career on the one thing she was told wasn't serious: reading people

📊 Why "I don't care what people think" is a story we only tell ourselves when we're in pain — and what to say instead

🎭 The resting bitch face problem — and what it teaches us about non-verbal status signals

👩‍👧‍👦 Why the way you parent multiple kids is the exact same skill as influencing people at work (and why we feel proud of one but ashamed of the other)

✈️ What an American Airlines Concierge Key reveals about status symbols vs. actual status

🏗️ How to build status before you need it — and why career transitions feel so disorienting

💬 The fastest way to build status in a room full of strangers

🤝 Why women wait too long to negotiate — and what to do about it


Whether you're navigating corporate life, building something new, or figuring out how to show up differently in 2026, this conversation will change how you walk into your next room.


📚 Books mentioned:

Likable Badass by Alison Fragale

Quit by Annie Duke

Deep Work by Cal Newport

Talk by Alison Wood Brooks


🥂 Join The Breadwinners community:

→ ⁠Subscribe to our Substack⁠

→ ⁠Follow on Instagram⁠

→ Rate & review wherever you listen to our pod — it helps more women find our show


🔗 Connect with Alison Fragale:

→ Alison's Instagram

→ Alison's LinkedIn

→ www.alisonfragale.com


Recorded live during SXSW in Austin, Texas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4120 no EP. 15 | So I Decided to Interview My Husband... What does it actually look like when two ambitious people are building a life together .... from both sides? In this episode, I hand the mic to my husband, Todd Grantham - entrepreneur, father of four, and the person who has seen me at my most magnetic and my most completely undone. No script, no canned questions. Just a real conversation about what modern marriage actually looks like when ambition, identity, money, and family are all in the mix at the same time. We get into the invisible load debate and why one viral Instagram post made me break my own "don't take the bait" rule. We talk about how we split household responsibilities - and why we've never actually sat down and agreed on any of it. We go deep on parenting values, religion, raising kids who can think for themselves, and what we want our children to see when they look at us. And yes, we talk about the dishwasher. At length. This is the episode behind the episode - the partnership story that makes everything else possible. In this conversation: - How we actually divide household labor (and what the research gets wrong) - The invisible load, rage bait culture, and why broad generalizations are hurting the conversation (hint: the "comments" section) - What Todd thinks makes a modern marriage work - How we parent without projecting — and why we make our kids solve their own problems - What his late father taught him about being present ______________________________ The Breadwinners is a podcast and community for ambitious women redefining what it means to be a Breadwinner — beyond the paycheck, to include emotional richness, systemic change, and legacy. 🎙 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts 📩 Join the Breadwinners Substack 📲 Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000 full 1 15 Alexis Contos I interviewed my husband --- a peek behind the curtain of our marriage. What does it actually look like when two ambitious people are building a life together .... from both sides? In this episode, I hand the mic to my husband, Todd Grantham - entrepreneur, father of four, and the person who has seen me at my most magnetic and my most completely undone. No script, no canned questions. Just a real conversation about what modern marriage actually looks like when ambition, identity, money, and family are all in the mix at the same time. We get into the invisible load debate and why one viral Instagram post made me break my own "don't take the bait" rule. We talk about how we split household responsibilities - and why we've never actually sat down and agreed on any of it. We go deep on parenting values, religion, raising kids who can think for themselves, and what we want our children to see when they look at us. And yes, we talk about the dishwasher. At length. This is the episode behind the episode - the partnership story that makes everything else possible. In this conversation: - How we actually divide household labor (and what the research gets wrong) - The invisible load, rage bait culture, and why broad generalizations are hurting the conversation (hint: the "comments" section) - What Todd thinks makes a modern marriage work - How we parent without projecting — and why we make our kids solve their own problems - What his late father taught him about being present ______________________________ The Breadwinners is a podcast and community for ambitious women redefining what it means to be a Breadwinner — beyond the paycheck, to include emotional richness, systemic change, and legacy. 🎙 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts 📩 Join the Breadwinners Substack 📲 Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices What does it actually look like when two ambitious people are building a life together .... from both sides? In this episode, I hand the mic to my husband, Todd Grantham - entrepreneur, father of four, and the person who has seen me at my most magnetic and my most completely undone. No script, no canned questions. Just a real conversation about what modern marriage actually looks like when ambition, identity, money, and family are all in the mix at the same time. We get into the invisible load debate and why one viral Instagram post made me break my own "don't take the bait" rule. We talk about how we split household responsibilities - and why we've never actually sat down and agreed on any of it. We go deep on parenting values, religion, raising kids who can think for themselves, and what we want our children to see when they look at us. And yes, we talk about the dishwasher. At length. This is the episode behind the episode - the partnership story that makes everything else possible. In this conversation: - How we actually divide household labor (and what the research gets wrong) - The invisible load, rage bait culture, and why broad generalizations are hurting the conversation (hint: the "comments" section) - What Todd thinks makes a modern marriage work - How we parent without projecting — and why we make our kids solve their own problems - What his late father taught him about being present ______________________________ The Breadwinners is a podcast and community for ambitious women redefining what it means to be a Breadwinner — beyond the paycheck, to include emotional richness, systemic change, and legacy. 🎙 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts 📩 Join the Breadwinners Substack 📲 Follow on Instagram: @wearethebreadwinners

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3751 EP. 13 | Juliet Starrett on Being Built to Last - Longevity, Equal Partnership, and the Marathon of Parenting What does it actually look like to build something sustainable — in your body, your business, and your family — without burning everything down in the process? Juliet Starrett has done it. Three world championship titles in elite whitewater paddling. A law degree. Nearly a decade in Big Law. Co-founder of San Francisco CrossFit, one of the first 25 affiliates in the world. And today, co-leader of The Ready State alongside her husband Kelly Starrett — the movement and longevity platform that has transformed how millions of people think about what their bodies are capable of. Their book, Built to Move, is a New York Times bestseller. In this episode, Alexis and Juliet go deep on the things that don't make it into the highlight reel: the real architecture of equal partnership in business and in marriage, what it means to be a breadwinner mom who is also the primary decision-maker at work, and how to raise teenagers who are watching your every move — and actually learning something worth keeping. What we cover in this conversation: How a 7-year-old's wilderness river trip in Colorado became the origin story of a world-class athlete Why Juliet left a lucrative law career to build San Francisco CrossFit from a parking lot — and what she'd tell any high-achieving woman standing at that same crossroads The 51/49 rule: how Juliet and Kelly structure decision-making in a 20+ year business and life partnership The skill-based case for working with your spouse — and why complementary strengths matter more than compatibility The parenting philosophy Juliet swears by: why investing in career flexibility when your kids are small is the long game for being present when it counts most — high school What The Teenage Brain taught Juliet about not sweating the small stuff Why the "all or nothing" mindset is the biggest obstacle to sustainable health The most underrated longevity habit (hint: it's not your red light mask) The sit-to-rise test and what it actually predicts about how you'll age Pick up Built to Move at your local bookstore or wherever books are sold, or visit thereadystate.com to go deeper on each vital sign. 🎯 EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR BREADWINNERS: Ready to train like the Starretts? The On Demand Starrett System gives you access to Kelly and Juliet's full strength and conditioning programming — the same system Juliet referenced in this episode. Use code BREADWINNERS at checkout for 15% off your subscription. 👉 thereadystate.com Connect with Juliet Starrett: 🔗 thereadystate.com 📱 Instagram: @julietstarrett | @thereadystate Connect with The Breadwinners: 📬 Substack 📱 Instagram If this conversation resonated with you — click follow/subscribe, leave a rating, and share it with a breadwinning woman in your life. Every review helps us reach the women who need to know they're not alone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:58:00 -0000 full 1 13 Alexis Contos What does it actually look like to build something sustainable — in your body, your business, and your family — without burning everything down in the process? Juliet Starrett has done it. Three world championship titles in elite whitewater paddling. A law degree. Nearly a decade in Big Law. Co-founder of San Francisco CrossFit, one of the first 25 affiliates in the world. And today, co-leader of The Ready State alongside her husband Kelly Starrett — the movement and longevity platform that has transformed how millions of people think about what their bodies are capable of. Their book, Built to Move, is a New York Times bestseller. In this episode, Alexis and Juliet go deep on the things that don't make it into the highlight reel: the real architecture of equal partnership in business and in marriage, what it means to be a breadwinner mom who is also the primary decision-maker at work, and how to raise teenagers who are watching your every move — and actually learning something worth keeping. What we cover in this conversation: How a 7-year-old's wilderness river trip in Colorado became the origin story of a world-class athlete Why Juliet left a lucrative law career to build San Francisco CrossFit from a parking lot — and what she'd tell any high-achieving woman standing at that same crossroads The 51/49 rule: how Juliet and Kelly structure decision-making in a 20+ year business and life partnership The skill-based case for working with your spouse — and why complementary strengths matter more than compatibility The parenting philosophy Juliet swears by: why investing in career flexibility when your kids are small is the long game for being present when it counts most — high school What The Teenage Brain taught Juliet about not sweating the small stuff Why the "all or nothing" mindset is the biggest obstacle to sustainable health The most underrated longevity habit (hint: it's not your red light mask) The sit-to-rise test and what it actually predicts about how you'll age Pick up Built to Move at your local bookstore or wherever books are sold, or visit thereadystate.com to go deeper on each vital sign. 🎯 EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR BREADWINNERS: Ready to train like the Starretts? The On Demand Starrett System gives you access to Kelly and Juliet's full strength and conditioning programming — the same system Juliet referenced in this episode. Use code BREADWINNERS at checkout for 15% off your subscription. 👉 thereadystate.com Connect with Juliet Starrett: 🔗 thereadystate.com 📱 Instagram: @julietstarrett | @thereadystate Connect with The Breadwinners: 📬 Substack 📱 Instagram If this conversation resonated with you — click follow/subscribe, leave a rating, and share it with a breadwinning woman in your life. Every review helps us reach the women who need to know they're not alone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices What does it actually look like to build something sustainable — in your body, your business, and your family — without burning everything down in the process?


Juliet Starrett has done it. Three world championship titles in elite whitewater paddling. A law degree. Nearly a decade in Big Law. Co-founder of San Francisco CrossFit, one of the first 25 affiliates in the world. And today, co-leader of The Ready State alongside her husband Kelly Starrett — the movement and longevity platform that has transformed how millions of people think about what their bodies are capable of. Their book, Built to Move, is a New York Times bestseller.


In this episode, Alexis and Juliet go deep on the things that don't make it into the highlight reel: the real architecture of equal partnership in business and in marriage, what it means to be a breadwinner mom who is also the primary decision-maker at work, and how to raise teenagers who are watching your every move — and actually learning something worth keeping.


What we cover in this conversation:

  • How a 7-year-old's wilderness river trip in Colorado became the origin story of a world-class athlete
  • Why Juliet left a lucrative law career to build San Francisco CrossFit from a parking lot — and what she'd tell any high-achieving woman standing at that same crossroads
  • The 51/49 rule: how Juliet and Kelly structure decision-making in a 20+ year business and life partnership
  • The skill-based case for working with your spouse — and why complementary strengths matter more than compatibility
  • The parenting philosophy Juliet swears by: why investing in career flexibility when your kids are small is the long game for being present when it counts most — high school
  • What The Teenage Brain taught Juliet about not sweating the small stuff
  • Why the "all or nothing" mindset is the biggest obstacle to sustainable health
  • The most underrated longevity habit (hint: it's not your red light mask)
  • The sit-to-rise test and what it actually predicts about how you'll age

Pick up Built to Move at your local bookstore or wherever books are sold, or visit thereadystate.com to go deeper on each vital sign.


🎯 EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR BREADWINNERS:

Ready to train like the Starretts? The On Demand Starrett System gives you access to Kelly and Juliet's full strength and conditioning programming — the same system Juliet referenced in this episode. Use code BREADWINNERS at checkout for 15% off your subscription. 👉 thereadystate.com


Connect with Juliet Starrett: 🔗 thereadystate.com 📱 Instagram: @julietstarrett | @thereadystate


Connect with The Breadwinners: 📬 Substack 📱 Instagram


If this conversation resonated with you — click follow/subscribe, leave a rating, and share it with a breadwinning woman in your life. Every review helps us reach the women who need to know they're not alone.


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4254 EP. 14 | Devon McDonald on the Secrets Successful Women Keep: Burnout, Mom Shame, & Rebuilding with Intention What does it feel like to reach the pinnacle of your career — and realize it no longer fits? Devon McDonald spent 17 years in venture capital, rising to General Partner at OpenView Ventures while raising three kids and serving as the financial anchor for her family. In March 2020, OpenView had its largest exit ever when Datadog went public, returning the fund ten times over. On paper, it was the moment she'd worked her entire career for. On the inside? Devon was sitting alone in her car, listening to meditation audiobooks, wondering why she felt desperate to escape. In this raw, honest conversation, Devon and Alexis explore what happens when the life you built for everyone else stops fitting who you're becoming — and what it actually takes to rebuild. Devon opens up about the warning signs she ignored for years: the physical symptoms of chronic stress, the shame spiral of working-mom guilt, the perfectionism and control that masked how much she was struggling. She shares the terrifying work of dismantling a life that looked perfect from the outside — losing 30 pounds, hiring a psychologist and spiritual coach, learning nervous system regulation, setting boundaries at work, transitioning out of her GP role, and ultimately leaving her marriage. Today, Devon is the co-founder of Second Harvest, a retreat for high-achieving leaders at midlife who are ready for something more aligned to their inner truth. This episode is for every Breadwinner mother who has ever sat in her car just to breathe. What we cover: - The moment Devon realized her biggest career win felt completely hollow - How the body signals misalignment long before the mind catches up - Mom shame, working-mother guilt, and why high-achieving women don't talk about it - The role of nervous system regulation, somatic awareness, and spiritual coaching in Devon's transformation - Why divorce made her a better, more present mother - What "high achieving" actually means — and who Second Harvest is really for - How to build community rooted in giving, not performing Connect with Devon McDonald: 🌿 secondharvest.co 💼 LinkedIn: Devon McDonald 📸 Instagram: @second_harvest_retreats, @devmcdee Connect with The Breadwinners: 📩 Substack: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com Instagram: wearethebreadwinners 🎙️ Rate + Subscribe wherever you listen — it helps us reach the women who need to know they're not alone. 🌿 A Special Offer from Second Harvest Loved this episode? Devon & Richard are hosting the Second Harvest Spring Summit on May 21st at the deCordova Museum in Lincoln, MA — a one-day gathering for leaders at an inflection point who are ready to step back and figure out what comes next. As a Breadwinners listener, use code BREADWINNERS for $200 off tickets. 👉 secondharvest.co #WomenInBusiness #HighAchievingWomen #career #BurnoutRecovery #WorkingMom #mom #MidlifeWomen #CareerTransition #WomenLeaders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:56:00 -0000 full 1 14 Alexis Contos What does it feel like to reach the pinnacle of your career — and realize it no longer fits? Devon McDonald spent 17 years in venture capital, rising to General Partner at OpenView Ventures while raising three kids and serving as the financial anchor for her family. In March 2020, OpenView had its largest exit ever when Datadog went public, returning the fund ten times over. On paper, it was the moment she'd worked her entire career for. On the inside? Devon was sitting alone in her car, listening to meditation audiobooks, wondering why she felt desperate to escape. In this raw, honest conversation, Devon and Alexis explore what happens when the life you built for everyone else stops fitting who you're becoming — and what it actually takes to rebuild. Devon opens up about the warning signs she ignored for years: the physical symptoms of chronic stress, the shame spiral of working-mom guilt, the perfectionism and control that masked how much she was struggling. She shares the terrifying work of dismantling a life that looked perfect from the outside — losing 30 pounds, hiring a psychologist and spiritual coach, learning nervous system regulation, setting boundaries at work, transitioning out of her GP role, and ultimately leaving her marriage. Today, Devon is the co-founder of Second Harvest, a retreat for high-achieving leaders at midlife who are ready for something more aligned to their inner truth. This episode is for every Breadwinner mother who has ever sat in her car just to breathe. What we cover: - The moment Devon realized her biggest career win felt completely hollow - How the body signals misalignment long before the mind catches up - Mom shame, working-mother guilt, and why high-achieving women don't talk about it - The role of nervous system regulation, somatic awareness, and spiritual coaching in Devon's transformation - Why divorce made her a better, more present mother - What "high achieving" actually means — and who Second Harvest is really for - How to build community rooted in giving, not performing Connect with Devon McDonald: 🌿 secondharvest.co 💼 LinkedIn: Devon McDonald 📸 Instagram: @second_harvest_retreats, @devmcdee Connect with The Breadwinners: 📩 Substack: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com Instagram: wearethebreadwinners 🎙️ Rate + Subscribe wherever you listen — it helps us reach the women who need to know they're not alone. 🌿 A Special Offer from Second Harvest Loved this episode? Devon & Richard are hosting the Second Harvest Spring Summit on May 21st at the deCordova Museum in Lincoln, MA — a one-day gathering for leaders at an inflection point who are ready to step back and figure out what comes next. As a Breadwinners listener, use code BREADWINNERS for $200 off tickets. 👉 secondharvest.co #WomenInBusiness #HighAchievingWomen #career #BurnoutRecovery #WorkingMom #mom #MidlifeWomen #CareerTransition #WomenLeaders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices What does it feel like to reach the pinnacle of your career — and realize it no longer fits? Devon McDonald spent 17 years in venture capital, rising to General Partner at OpenView Ventures while raising three kids and serving as the financial anchor for her family. In March 2020, OpenView had its largest exit ever when Datadog went public, returning the fund ten times over. On paper, it was the moment she'd worked her entire career for. On the inside? Devon was sitting alone in her car, listening to meditation audiobooks, wondering why she felt desperate to escape. In this raw, honest conversation, Devon and Alexis explore what happens when the life you built for everyone else stops fitting who you're becoming — and what it actually takes to rebuild. Devon opens up about the warning signs she ignored for years: the physical symptoms of chronic stress, the shame spiral of working-mom guilt, the perfectionism and control that masked how much she was struggling. She shares the terrifying work of dismantling a life that looked perfect from the outside — losing 30 pounds, hiring a psychologist and spiritual coach, learning nervous system regulation, setting boundaries at work, transitioning out of her GP role, and ultimately leaving her marriage. Today, Devon is the co-founder of Second Harvest, a retreat for high-achieving leaders at midlife who are ready for something more aligned to their inner truth. This episode is for every Breadwinner mother who has ever sat in her car just to breathe. What we cover: - The moment Devon realized her biggest career win felt completely hollow - How the body signals misalignment long before the mind catches up - Mom shame, working-mother guilt, and why high-achieving women don't talk about it - The role of nervous system regulation, somatic awareness, and spiritual coaching in Devon's transformation - Why divorce made her a better, more present mother - What "high achieving" actually means — and who Second Harvest is really for

- How to build community rooted in giving, not performing Connect with Devon McDonald: 🌿 secondharvest.co 💼 LinkedIn: Devon McDonald 📸 Instagram: @second_harvest_retreats, @devmcdee Connect with The Breadwinners: 📩 Substack: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com Instagram: wearethebreadwinners 🎙️ Rate + Subscribe wherever you listen — it helps us reach the women who need to know they're not alone.


🌿 A Special Offer from Second Harvest

Loved this episode? Devon & Richard are hosting the Second Harvest Spring Summit on May 21st at the deCordova Museum in Lincoln, MA — a one-day gathering for leaders at an inflection point who are ready to step back and figure out what comes next.

As a Breadwinners listener, use code BREADWINNERS for $200 off tickets.

👉 secondharvest.co #WomenInBusiness #HighAchievingWomen #career #BurnoutRecovery #WorkingMom #mom #MidlifeWomen #CareerTransition #WomenLeaders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3884 Saved Seats | Replaying Our Pilot Episode: Kim Chappell on the Dinner That Started It All One year ago, we gathered a group of extraordinary women around a dinner table at SXSW — and The Breadwinners was born. In honor of our one-year anniversary, we're bringing back the episode that started it all for the listeners who've joined us since. "You're not hitting your skincare routine, being a great mom, crushing it at your job, putting dinner on the table, and having sex with your husband in 24 hours every day," says Kim Chappell, Chief Brand Officer at Bobbie. "Nobody is. That's not happening." In this pilot episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Kim to talk about what it actually looks like to build a career and a family at the same time — without the performance. They dig into returning to work after maternity leave, the guilt that quietly follows you back, and why the "girlboss" era left so many of us more exhausted than empowered. What comes after hustle culture? A new conversation about what it means to be a breadwinner — one that goes beyond the paycheck and into how we define success, boundaries, and what we're actually building. If you're new to the community, this is where it all began and we're excited to revisit our origin. So, welcome! The Breadwinners Join the Community on Substack Kim's Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0000 full 1 13 Alexis Contos In honor of our one-year anniversary, we're bringing back the episode that started it all, for the listeners who've joined us since. One year ago, we gathered a group of extraordinary women around a dinner table at SXSW — and The Breadwinners was born. In honor of our one-year anniversary, we're bringing back the episode that started it all for the listeners who've joined us since. "You're not hitting your skincare routine, being a great mom, crushing it at your job, putting dinner on the table, and having sex with your husband in 24 hours every day," says Kim Chappell, Chief Brand Officer at Bobbie. "Nobody is. That's not happening." In this pilot episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Kim to talk about what it actually looks like to build a career and a family at the same time — without the performance. They dig into returning to work after maternity leave, the guilt that quietly follows you back, and why the "girlboss" era left so many of us more exhausted than empowered. What comes after hustle culture? A new conversation about what it means to be a breadwinner — one that goes beyond the paycheck and into how we define success, boundaries, and what we're actually building. If you're new to the community, this is where it all began and we're excited to revisit our origin. So, welcome! The Breadwinners Join the Community on Substack Kim's Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices One year ago, we gathered a group of extraordinary women around a dinner table at SXSW — and The Breadwinners was born. In honor of our one-year anniversary, we're bringing back the episode that started it all for the listeners who've joined us since. "You're not hitting your skincare routine, being a great mom, crushing it at your job, putting dinner on the table, and having sex with your husband in 24 hours every day," says Kim Chappell, Chief Brand Officer at Bobbie. "Nobody is. That's not happening." In this pilot episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Kim to talk about what it actually looks like to build a career and a family at the same time — without the performance. They dig into returning to work after maternity leave, the guilt that quietly follows you back, and why the "girlboss" era left so many of us more exhausted than empowered. What comes after hustle culture? A new conversation about what it means to be a breadwinner — one that goes beyond the paycheck and into how we define success, boundaries, and what we're actually building. If you're new to the community, this is where it all began and we're excited to revisit our origin. So, welcome! The Breadwinners Join the Community on Substack Kim's Instagram

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4605 EP. 12 | Mel Strong on Why Motherhood Has Never Been One-Size-Fits-All What does it take to walk away from 17 years of corporate security — stock options, healthcare, a VP title at Nike — and bet on yourself? In this episode, Alexis sits down with Mel Strong, co-founder of Next Ventures, a health and wellness-focused venture fund. Mel's path has been anything but linear: first-grade teacher, journalist, marketing executive, interim CMO of Oura Ring, and now fund manager — and she's candid about every messy step it took to get there. In this conversation: Why women at the same income level as men weren't investing the same way — and what Mel did about it The athlete mindset and using fear as a compass instead of a stop sign Growing up as a caregiver to a sister with disabilities — and becoming a "mom" in 4th grade What it was really like when her husband became unemployed and she became the Breadwinner Her early investment in Oura Ring and what she saw before anyone else did Why women are the chief medical officers of their families — and what that means for the future of health tech The loneliness epidemic, human connection, and why community is the truest form of technology Mel's story is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and building wealth on your own terms. 🎙️ The Breadwinners Podcast — where ambitious mothers don't just earn a living, they're pioneering a new era. 📩 Join the Breadwinner community: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com 🌐 Next Ventures: nextventures.com | Substack: https://nextventures.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0000 full Alexis Contos What does it take to walk away from 17 years of corporate security — stock options, healthcare, a VP title at Nike — and bet on yourself? In this episode, Alexis sits down with Mel Strong, co-founder of Next Ventures, a health and wellness-focused venture fund. Mel's path has been anything but linear: first-grade teacher, journalist, marketing executive, interim CMO of Oura Ring, and now fund manager — and she's candid about every messy step it took to get there. In this conversation: Why women at the same income level as men weren't investing the same way — and what Mel did about it The athlete mindset and using fear as a compass instead of a stop sign Growing up as a caregiver to a sister with disabilities — and becoming a "mom" in 4th grade What it was really like when her husband became unemployed and she became the Breadwinner Her early investment in Oura Ring and what she saw before anyone else did Why women are the chief medical officers of their families — and what that means for the future of health tech The loneliness epidemic, human connection, and why community is the truest form of technology Mel's story is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and building wealth on your own terms. 🎙️ The Breadwinners Podcast — where ambitious mothers don't just earn a living, they're pioneering a new era. 📩 Join the Breadwinner community: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com 🌐 Next Ventures: nextventures.com | Substack: https://nextventures.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices What does it take to walk away from 17 years of corporate security — stock options, healthcare, a VP title at Nike — and bet on yourself?

In this episode, Alexis sits down with Mel Strong, co-founder of Next Ventures, a health and wellness-focused venture fund. Mel's path has been anything but linear: first-grade teacher, journalist, marketing executive, interim CMO of Oura Ring, and now fund manager — and she's candid about every messy step it took to get there.

In this conversation:

  • Why women at the same income level as men weren't investing the same way — and what Mel did about it
  • The athlete mindset and using fear as a compass instead of a stop sign
  • Growing up as a caregiver to a sister with disabilities — and becoming a "mom" in 4th grade
  • What it was really like when her husband became unemployed and she became the Breadwinner
  • Her early investment in Oura Ring and what she saw before anyone else did
  • Why women are the chief medical officers of their families — and what that means for the future of health tech
  • The loneliness epidemic, human connection, and why community is the truest form of technology

Mel's story is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and building wealth on your own terms.

🎙️ The Breadwinners Podcast — where ambitious mothers don't just earn a living, they're pioneering a new era.

📩 Join the Breadwinner community: wearethebreadwinners.substack.com

🌐 Next Ventures: nextventures.com | Substack: https://nextventures.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4312 EP. 11 | Kelly Hubbell on Building Sage Spaces for your Home You're expected to work like you don't have kids and parent like you don't work. Kelly Hubbell, founder of Sage Haus, looked at this impossible equation and decided to build the solution herself. In this episode, Kelly shares her journey from corporate tech sales to launching Sage Haus—a company that provides house managers and holistic family support for busy working parents. After her second child, Kelly found herself overwhelmed, creating a spreadsheet at 2am cataloging everything she was managing on top of her full-time job. That breakdown moment became her breakthrough. We dive into the reality of founder-motherhood, why the "mental load" conversation needs to shift from problem to solution, and how Kelly is building a business that reflects her values while showing her three kids what's possible when you refuse to choose between ambition and presence. About Kelly Kelly Hubbell is the founder of Sage Haus, a company that helps busy families find holistic, versatile support through house managers and family assistants. A former software sales professional who worked her way through Silicon Valley startups, Kelly made the leap from corporate America to entrepreneurship after realizing the support gap working parents face. Kelly lives in Portland with her husband (also an entrepreneur), three children (ages 7, 5, and 3), and a 7-year-old dog. She's on a mission to normalize household support and give families permission to get the help they need. Find Kelly: Instagram: @mysagehaus LinkedIn: Kelly Hubbell Website: Sign up for informational calls about finding your house manager Get $275 off your deposit by using this link: https://sage-haus.thrivecart.com/hiring-services-deposit/?coupon=BREADWINNERJoin The Breadwinners Community Subscribe to The Breadwinners on Substack for: - Full podcast episodes - In-depth written interviews with guests - Live Q&A sessions with experts - Exclusive content on hormones, finances, partnership dynamics, and more It's free to subscribe → wearethebreadwinners.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:16:00 -0000 full 1 11 Alexis Contos Kelly Hubbell, founder of Sage Haus, shares how her 2am breakdown as an overwhelmed working mom led her to build a business providing house managers to busy families—shifting the conversation from the mental load problem to actual solutions. You're expected to work like you don't have kids and parent like you don't work. Kelly Hubbell, founder of Sage Haus, looked at this impossible equation and decided to build the solution herself. In this episode, Kelly shares her journey from corporate tech sales to launching Sage Haus—a company that provides house managers and holistic family support for busy working parents. After her second child, Kelly found herself overwhelmed, creating a spreadsheet at 2am cataloging everything she was managing on top of her full-time job. That breakdown moment became her breakthrough. We dive into the reality of founder-motherhood, why the "mental load" conversation needs to shift from problem to solution, and how Kelly is building a business that reflects her values while showing her three kids what's possible when you refuse to choose between ambition and presence. About Kelly Kelly Hubbell is the founder of Sage Haus, a company that helps busy families find holistic, versatile support through house managers and family assistants. A former software sales professional who worked her way through Silicon Valley startups, Kelly made the leap from corporate America to entrepreneurship after realizing the support gap working parents face. Kelly lives in Portland with her husband (also an entrepreneur), three children (ages 7, 5, and 3), and a 7-year-old dog. She's on a mission to normalize household support and give families permission to get the help they need. Find Kelly: Instagram: @mysagehaus LinkedIn: Kelly Hubbell Website: Sign up for informational calls about finding your house manager Get $275 off your deposit by using this link: https://sage-haus.thrivecart.com/hiring-services-deposit/?coupon=BREADWINNERJoin The Breadwinners Community Subscribe to The Breadwinners on Substack for: - Full podcast episodes - In-depth written interviews with guests - Live Q&A sessions with experts - Exclusive content on hormones, finances, partnership dynamics, and more It's free to subscribe → wearethebreadwinners.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices You're expected to work like you don't have kids and parent like you don't work. Kelly Hubbell, founder of Sage Haus, looked at this impossible equation and decided to build the solution herself.


In this episode, Kelly shares her journey from corporate tech sales to launching Sage Haus—a company that provides house managers and holistic family support for busy working parents. After her second child, Kelly found herself overwhelmed, creating a spreadsheet at 2am cataloging everything she was managing on top of her full-time job. That breakdown moment became her breakthrough.


We dive into the reality of founder-motherhood, why the "mental load" conversation needs to shift from problem to solution, and how Kelly is building a business that reflects her values while showing her three kids what's possible when you refuse to choose between ambition and presence.


About Kelly


Kelly Hubbell is the founder of Sage Haus, a company that helps busy families find holistic, versatile support through house managers and family assistants. A former software sales professional who worked her way through Silicon Valley startups, Kelly made the leap from corporate America to entrepreneurship after realizing the support gap working parents face.


Kelly lives in Portland with her husband (also an entrepreneur), three children (ages 7, 5, and 3), and a 7-year-old dog. She's on a mission to normalize household support and give families permission to get the help they need.


Find Kelly:

Instagram: @mysagehaus

LinkedIn: Kelly Hubbell

Website: Sign up for informational calls about finding your house manager

Get $275 off your deposit by using this link: https://sage-haus.thrivecart.com/hiring-services-deposit/?coupon=BREADWINNERJoin


The Breadwinners Community


Subscribe to The Breadwinners on Substack for:

- Full podcast episodes

- In-depth written interviews with guests

- Live Q&A sessions with experts

- Exclusive content on hormones, finances, partnership dynamics, and more


It's free to subscribe → wearethebreadwinners.substack.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3465 EP. 10 | Nick Firchau on Fatherhood, Friendship & Breaking Generational Patterns What does modern fatherhood really look like in 2025 - and why aren't more men talking about it? In this episode of The Breadwinners Podcast, host Alexis Contos sits down with Nick Firchau, creator and host of The Paternal Podcast, to have an honest conversation about the challenges fathers face today. From the crisis of male loneliness to the invisible labor dads carry, Nick shares insights from over 130 interviews with fathers from all walks of life. This conversation explores why fatherhood feels so isolating for many men, how generational patterns shape the parents we become, and why supporting working mothers and engaged fathers isn't a zero-sum game. 1. Many fathers are parenting without a roadmap Nearly 40% of the dads Nick has interviewed either didn't have a father figure present or had a problematic one (substance abuse, violence, or emotional absence). These men are building their approach to fatherhood from scratch. 2. Male loneliness is a parenting issue While mothers often find community through mom groups and playdates, fathers struggle to form meaningful friendships where they can discuss the real challenges of parenting. Men are conditioned to keep conversations surface-level. 3. The "bumbling dad" stereotype hurts everyone From Homer Simpson to Modern Family, media has long portrayed fathers as incompetent or emotionally distant. This trope doesn't just frustrate dads—it sets low expectations for father involvement. 4. Partnership means rejecting the scorecard Nick and his wife live by "BOTD" (Benefit of the Doubt) and refuse to keep score. They recognize that careers, income, and family responsibilities ebb and flow—what matters is adapting together. 5. Emotional vocabulary is learned, not inherited One of the biggest shifts Nick is making with his own kids: teaching them to name and discuss their emotions, something he didn't learn until adulthood. Nick Firchau is the creator and host of The Paternal Podcast, a show exploring modern fatherhood through candid conversations with dads from diverse backgrounds. With a background in journalism (Chicago Sun-Times) and over 15 years in podcasting, Nick has interviewed Super Bowl champions, Pulitzer Prize winners, bestselling authors, and everyday fathers about what it means to be a dad today. The Paternal Podcast launched in 2017 and has produced over 130 episodes examining father-son relationships, masculinity, male mental health, and the evolving role of fathers in American families. Connect with Nick: Podcast: The Paternal Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms) Website: paternalpodcast.com Instagram: @paternalpodcast The Breadwinners Podcast is for ambitious working mothers who are set out to redefine what Breadwinner means in today's society and culture - beyond the paycheck. New episodes drop weekly. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a fellow breadwinner - or the dad in your life who needs to hear this conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0000 full 1 10 Alexis Contos Nick Firchau of The Paternal Podcast explores modern fatherhood, why men struggle to build friendships, and how couples can share the invisible load of parenting. What does modern fatherhood really look like in 2025 - and why aren't more men talking about it? In this episode of The Breadwinners Podcast, host Alexis Contos sits down with Nick Firchau, creator and host of The Paternal Podcast, to have an honest conversation about the challenges fathers face today. From the crisis of male loneliness to the invisible labor dads carry, Nick shares insights from over 130 interviews with fathers from all walks of life. This conversation explores why fatherhood feels so isolating for many men, how generational patterns shape the parents we become, and why supporting working mothers and engaged fathers isn't a zero-sum game. 1. Many fathers are parenting without a roadmap Nearly 40% of the dads Nick has interviewed either didn't have a father figure present or had a problematic one (substance abuse, violence, or emotional absence). These men are building their approach to fatherhood from scratch. 2. Male loneliness is a parenting issue While mothers often find community through mom groups and playdates, fathers struggle to form meaningful friendships where they can discuss the real challenges of parenting. Men are conditioned to keep conversations surface-level. 3. The "bumbling dad" stereotype hurts everyone From Homer Simpson to Modern Family, media has long portrayed fathers as incompetent or emotionally distant. This trope doesn't just frustrate dads—it sets low expectations for father involvement. 4. Partnership means rejecting the scorecard Nick and his wife live by "BOTD" (Benefit of the Doubt) and refuse to keep score. They recognize that careers, income, and family responsibilities ebb and flow—what matters is adapting together. 5. Emotional vocabulary is learned, not inherited One of the biggest shifts Nick is making with his own kids: teaching them to name and discuss their emotions, something he didn't learn until adulthood. Nick Firchau is the creator and host of The Paternal Podcast, a show exploring modern fatherhood through candid conversations with dads from diverse backgrounds. With a background in journalism (Chicago Sun-Times) and over 15 years in podcasting, Nick has interviewed Super Bowl champions, Pulitzer Prize winners, bestselling authors, and everyday fathers about what it means to be a dad today. The Paternal Podcast launched in 2017 and has produced over 130 episodes examining father-son relationships, masculinity, male mental health, and the evolving role of fathers in American families. Connect with Nick: Podcast: The Paternal Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms) Website: paternalpodcast.com Instagram: @paternalpodcast The Breadwinners Podcast is for ambitious working mothers who are set out to redefine what Breadwinner means in today's society and culture - beyond the paycheck. New episodes drop weekly. If this episode resonated with you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a fellow breadwinner - or the dad in your life who needs to hear this conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices What does modern fatherhood really look like in 2025 - and why aren't more men talking about it?

In this episode of The Breadwinners Podcast, host Alexis Contos sits down with Nick Firchau, creator and host of The Paternal Podcast, to have an honest conversation about the challenges fathers face today. From the crisis of male loneliness to the invisible labor dads carry, Nick shares insights from over 130 interviews with fathers from all walks of life.

This conversation explores why fatherhood feels so isolating for many men, how generational patterns shape the parents we become, and why supporting working mothers and engaged fathers isn't a zero-sum game.


1. Many fathers are parenting without a roadmap Nearly 40% of the dads Nick has interviewed either didn't have a father figure present or had a problematic one (substance abuse, violence, or emotional absence). These men are building their approach to fatherhood from scratch.

2. Male loneliness is a parenting issue While mothers often find community through mom groups and playdates, fathers struggle to form meaningful friendships where they can discuss the real challenges of parenting. Men are conditioned to keep conversations surface-level.

3. The "bumbling dad" stereotype hurts everyone From Homer Simpson to Modern Family, media has long portrayed fathers as incompetent or emotionally distant. This trope doesn't just frustrate dads—it sets low expectations for father involvement.

4. Partnership means rejecting the scorecard Nick and his wife live by "BOTD" (Benefit of the Doubt) and refuse to keep score. They recognize that careers, income, and family responsibilities ebb and flow—what matters is adapting together.

5. Emotional vocabulary is learned, not inherited One of the biggest shifts Nick is making with his own kids: teaching them to name and discuss their emotions, something he didn't learn until adulthood.

Nick Firchau is the creator and host of The Paternal Podcast, a show exploring modern fatherhood through candid conversations with dads from diverse backgrounds. With a background in journalism (Chicago Sun-Times) and over 15 years in podcasting, Nick has interviewed Super Bowl champions, Pulitzer Prize winners, bestselling authors, and everyday fathers about what it means to be a dad today.

The Paternal Podcast launched in 2017 and has produced over 130 episodes examining father-son relationships, masculinity, male mental health, and the evolving role of fathers in American families.

Connect with Nick:

  • Podcast: The Paternal Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms)
  • Website: paternalpodcast.com
  • Instagram: @paternalpodcast

The Breadwinners Podcast is for ambitious working mothers who are set out to redefine what Breadwinner means in today's society and culture - beyond the paycheck. New episodes drop weekly.


If this episode resonated with you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a fellow breadwinner - or the dad in your life who needs to hear this conversation.


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3071 EP. 09 | Ali Tate Cutler on How Moms Actually Build Businesses Ali Tate Cutler gets brutally honest about what nobody tells you: how to build a business while grieving the version of yourself you once were. Less than 1% of guests on major business podcasts are mothers. The rest? Childless men teaching strategies that don't work when you're building while celebrating your own transformation as a working mom. "Mothers don't grind, we create. We don't hustle, we flow." Ali (former supermodel turned social media strategist) created a new framework: Mothers don't grind, we create. We don't hustle, we flow. She shares the grieving process of losing her pre-mother self, what she misses, the paradox of freedom, how to create when your time is fractured, and what small business owners get wrong about social media. What You'll Learn: - How moms actually build businesses versus the traditional playbook - The grief of losing your pre-mother self and why it's okay - The paradox of choice after kids - Creating (not grinding) with constant interruptions - What's wrong with "hustle" advice for working parents - Building visibility without burnout - Honoring who you were while becoming who you are Subscribe to The Breadwinners Substack Connect with Ali Join The Breadwinners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:07:00 -0000 full 1 9 Alexis Contos Ali Tate Cutler gets brutally honest about what nobody tells you: how to build a business while grieving the version of yourself you once were. Less than 1% of guests on major business podcasts are mothers. The rest? Childless men teaching strategies that don't work when you're building while celebrating your own transformation as a working mom. "Mothers don't grind, we create. We don't hustle, we flow." Ali (former supermodel turned social media strategist) created a new framework: Mothers don't grind, we create. We don't hustle, we flow. She shares the grieving process of losing her pre-mother self, what she misses, the paradox of freedom, how to create when your time is fractured, and what small business owners get wrong about social media. What You'll Learn: - How moms actually build businesses versus the traditional playbook - The grief of losing your pre-mother self and why it's okay - The paradox of choice after kids - Creating (not grinding) with constant interruptions - What's wrong with "hustle" advice for working parents - Building visibility without burnout - Honoring who you were while becoming who you are Subscribe to The Breadwinners Substack Connect with Ali Join The Breadwinners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Ali Tate Cutler gets brutally honest about what nobody tells you: how to build a business while grieving the version of yourself you once were.

Less than 1% of guests on major business podcasts are mothers. The rest? Childless men teaching strategies that don't work when you're building while celebrating your own transformation as a working mom.

"Mothers don't grind, we create. We don't hustle, we flow."

Ali (former supermodel turned social media strategist) created a new framework: Mothers don't grind, we create. We don't hustle, we flow.

She shares the grieving process of losing her pre-mother self, what she misses, the paradox of freedom, how to create when your time is fractured, and what small business owners get wrong about social media.


What You'll Learn:

- How moms actually build businesses versus the traditional playbook

- The grief of losing your pre-mother self and why it's okay

- The paradox of choice after kids

- Creating (not grinding) with constant interruptions

- What's wrong with "hustle" advice for working parents

- Building visibility without burnout

- Honoring who you were while becoming who you are


Subscribe to The Breadwinners Substack


Connect with Ali

Join The Breadwinners

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4762 EP. 08 | Patrice Meagher on Building Systems to Support Working Moms in the Workplace In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Patrice Meagher, a 20-year Commercial Real Estate veteran turned Founder and CEO of MilkMate. After spending two decades leasing millions of square feet in Manhattan , Patrice realized that while we can fly to space, the most "innovative" solution for pumping at work was still a storage closet or a bathroom stall. Patrice shares her journey of leaving a successful corporate career to solve a problem that had plagued her through four children: the inefficiency and indignity of pumping in the workplace. She breaks down her famous "Coffee Pot Analogy" - asking men to imagine brewing their morning coffee in a bathroom stall while disrobing and carrying equipment back and forth - to illustrate the absurdity of the status quo. In this conversation, Patrice discusses the "tipping point" for working mothers - that moment when one small thing (like a forgotten pump part) causes the mental load to crumble. She opens up about the daunting process of gaining FDA clearance for MilkMate , the wisdom she carries from her late father’s "Don’t Quit" motto , and why she believes working moms are the most efficient workers in the universe. Whether you are an employer looking to support your team or a parent navigating the "drip effect" of balancing career and family , this episode offers a blueprint for how we can evolve the workplace—bird by bird, step by step. The Breadwinners MilkMate MilkMate Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0000 full 1 8 Alexis Contos In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Patrice Meagher, a 20-year Commercial Real Estate veteran turned Founder and CEO of MilkMate. After spending two decades leasing millions of square feet in Manhattan , Patrice realized that while we can fly to space, the most "innovative" solution for pumping at work was still a storage closet or a bathroom stall. Patrice shares her journey of leaving a successful corporate career to solve a problem that had plagued her through four children: the inefficiency and indignity of pumping in the workplace. She breaks down her famous "Coffee Pot Analogy" - asking men to imagine brewing their morning coffee in a bathroom stall while disrobing and carrying equipment back and forth - to illustrate the absurdity of the status quo. In this conversation, Patrice discusses the "tipping point" for working mothers - that moment when one small thing (like a forgotten pump part) causes the mental load to crumble. She opens up about the daunting process of gaining FDA clearance for MilkMate , the wisdom she carries from her late father’s "Don’t Quit" motto , and why she believes working moms are the most efficient workers in the universe. Whether you are an employer looking to support your team or a parent navigating the "drip effect" of balancing career and family , this episode offers a blueprint for how we can evolve the workplace—bird by bird, step by step. The Breadwinners MilkMate MilkMate Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Patrice Meagher, a 20-year Commercial Real Estate veteran turned Founder and CEO of MilkMate. After spending two decades leasing millions of square feet in Manhattan , Patrice realized that while we can fly to space, the most "innovative" solution for pumping at work was still a storage closet or a bathroom stall. Patrice shares her journey of leaving a successful corporate career to solve a problem that had plagued her through four children: the inefficiency and indignity of pumping in the workplace. She breaks down her famous "Coffee Pot Analogy" - asking men to imagine brewing their morning coffee in a bathroom stall while disrobing and carrying equipment back and forth - to illustrate the absurdity of the status quo. In this conversation, Patrice discusses the "tipping point" for working mothers - that moment when one small thing (like a forgotten pump part) causes the mental load to crumble. She opens up about the daunting process of gaining FDA clearance for MilkMate , the wisdom she carries from her late father’s "Don’t Quit" motto , and why she believes working moms are the most efficient workers in the universe. Whether you are an employer looking to support your team or a parent navigating the "drip effect" of balancing career and family , this episode offers a blueprint for how we can evolve the workplace—bird by bird, step by step. The Breadwinners


MilkMate


MilkMate Instagram

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3682 no EP. 07 | Sarah Levey on Legacy Through Motherhood and Building Without Burnout It started with a pinched sciatic nerve and a diet of dollar-slice pizza. In 2012, Sarah Levey was working in fashion on a $32,000 salary, desperate for physical recovery but completely alienated by the performative nature of traditional yoga. She didn't just want a workout; she wanted a sanctuary where she didn't have to look like the teacher or the person in the front row. So she built Y7 Studio—a beat-bumping, candlelit rebellion against the mirrors, bright lights, and judgment of the typical studio experience. ​ In this candid conversation, Alexis and Sarah go far beyond the business of fitness. Sarah opens up about the darker side of building a cult-favorite brand: the dangerous trap of letting your business become your entire identity. She takes us through her transformative experience with the Hoffman Process, revealing how she learned to "divorce" her soul from her company after years of being the ultimate decision-maker. ​ From her early days of "living the dream" on the streets of New York to her evolution as a leader who no longer needs to control every outcome, Sarah shares deep wisdom on emotional accountability. She discusses the parallels between gentle parenting and leadership, and why stepping back to become a "steward of culture" might be the bravest move a founder can make. ​ Whether you're a reluctant yogi, a burnt-out founder, or someone trying to stop carrying the emotional weight of everyone around you—this episode is a masterclass in building a business without losing yourself. The Breadwinners Y7 Studio Sarah's Website Sarah's Instagram Breadwinners Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0000 full 1 7 Alexis Contos On not taking maternity leave, the all-consuming nature of entrepreneurship, and finding yourself beyond your business It started with a pinched sciatic nerve and a diet of dollar-slice pizza. In 2012, Sarah Levey was working in fashion on a $32,000 salary, desperate for physical recovery but completely alienated by the performative nature of traditional yoga. She didn't just want a workout; she wanted a sanctuary where she didn't have to look like the teacher or the person in the front row. So she built Y7 Studio—a beat-bumping, candlelit rebellion against the mirrors, bright lights, and judgment of the typical studio experience. ​ In this candid conversation, Alexis and Sarah go far beyond the business of fitness. Sarah opens up about the darker side of building a cult-favorite brand: the dangerous trap of letting your business become your entire identity. She takes us through her transformative experience with the Hoffman Process, revealing how she learned to "divorce" her soul from her company after years of being the ultimate decision-maker. ​ From her early days of "living the dream" on the streets of New York to her evolution as a leader who no longer needs to control every outcome, Sarah shares deep wisdom on emotional accountability. She discusses the parallels between gentle parenting and leadership, and why stepping back to become a "steward of culture" might be the bravest move a founder can make. ​ Whether you're a reluctant yogi, a burnt-out founder, or someone trying to stop carrying the emotional weight of everyone around you—this episode is a masterclass in building a business without losing yourself. The Breadwinners Y7 Studio Sarah's Website Sarah's Instagram Breadwinners Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices It started with a pinched sciatic nerve and a diet of dollar-slice pizza. In 2012, Sarah Levey was working in fashion on a $32,000 salary, desperate for physical recovery but completely alienated by the performative nature of traditional yoga. She didn't just want a workout; she wanted a sanctuary where she didn't have to look like the teacher or the person in the front row. So she built Y7 Studio—a beat-bumping, candlelit rebellion against the mirrors, bright lights, and judgment of the typical studio experience.

​

In this candid conversation, Alexis and Sarah go far beyond the business of fitness. Sarah opens up about the darker side of building a cult-favorite brand: the dangerous trap of letting your business become your entire identity. She takes us through her transformative experience with the Hoffman Process, revealing how she learned to "divorce" her soul from her company after years of being the ultimate decision-maker.

​

From her early days of "living the dream" on the streets of New York to her evolution as a leader who no longer needs to control every outcome, Sarah shares deep wisdom on emotional accountability. She discusses the parallels between gentle parenting and leadership, and why stepping back to become a "steward of culture" might be the bravest move a founder can make.

​

Whether you're a reluctant yogi, a burnt-out founder, or someone trying to stop carrying the emotional weight of everyone around you—this episode is a masterclass in building a business without losing yourself.


The Breadwinners


Y7 Studio


Sarah's Website

Sarah's Instagram


Breadwinners Instagram


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4129 EP. 06 | Libby Leffler on Protecting Your Future Self: A New Playbook for Marriage and Money In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Libby Leffler, tech executive turned founder of First, who is dismantling the stigma around prenups and reframing them as the ultimate act of partnership design. After spending nearly two decades building generation-defining companies like Google, Facebook, and SoFi, Libby noticed a glaring gap in how we handle our most significant personal "merger", marriage. She realized that while we plan meticulously for our careers and companies, we often leave our relationships to chance. She founded First to change that, shifting the narrative from a "breaking point" to "a "joining point." From debunking the Sex and the City era myths about prenups to defining "modern money" (it’s not just cash, it’s your IP, your side hustle, and yes, even your pets), Libby is normalizing the hard conversations that actually make couples stronger. She’s helping women protect their "future selves" amidst the Great Wealth Transfer, ensuring they enter partnerships with clarity rather than crossed fingers. In this conversation, Libby opens up about the reality of leaving a high-powered corporate career to build a startup while raising young children. She discusses why "work-life balance" is a lie we need to stop believing, how she uses "focus" as her superpower to navigate different seasons of life, and why she believes your failures will always teach you more than your successes. Whether you’re walking down the aisle, negotiating a raise, or just trying to figure out how to integrate your ambition with your life, this episode offers a new operating agreement for it all. The Breadwinners Website  
First Official Website  First's Instagram Libby’s Instagram Breadwinner's Instagram Business Insider Article Use code THEBREADWINNERS at checkout for $100 off First lawyer reviewed prenup package Promo code available 1/5/2026 through 3/1/2026 11:59p PT; all coupon codes must be used a checkout at time of purchase (no retroactive discounts), terms and conditions apply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:48:00 -0000 full 1 6 Alexis Contos Tech executive turned founder Libby Leffler on reframing prenups as partnership design, protecting your future self, and why "work-life balance" is a lie we need to stop believing. In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Libby Leffler, tech executive turned founder of First, who is dismantling the stigma around prenups and reframing them as the ultimate act of partnership design. After spending nearly two decades building generation-defining companies like Google, Facebook, and SoFi, Libby noticed a glaring gap in how we handle our most significant personal "merger", marriage. She realized that while we plan meticulously for our careers and companies, we often leave our relationships to chance. She founded First to change that, shifting the narrative from a "breaking point" to "a "joining point." From debunking the Sex and the City era myths about prenups to defining "modern money" (it’s not just cash, it’s your IP, your side hustle, and yes, even your pets), Libby is normalizing the hard conversations that actually make couples stronger. She’s helping women protect their "future selves" amidst the Great Wealth Transfer, ensuring they enter partnerships with clarity rather than crossed fingers. In this conversation, Libby opens up about the reality of leaving a high-powered corporate career to build a startup while raising young children. She discusses why "work-life balance" is a lie we need to stop believing, how she uses "focus" as her superpower to navigate different seasons of life, and why she believes your failures will always teach you more than your successes. Whether you’re walking down the aisle, negotiating a raise, or just trying to figure out how to integrate your ambition with your life, this episode offers a new operating agreement for it all. The Breadwinners Website  
First Official Website  First's Instagram Libby’s Instagram Breadwinner's Instagram Business Insider Article Use code THEBREADWINNERS at checkout for $100 off First lawyer reviewed prenup package Promo code available 1/5/2026 through 3/1/2026 11:59p PT; all coupon codes must be used a checkout at time of purchase (no retroactive discounts), terms and conditions apply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Libby Leffler, tech executive turned founder of First, who is dismantling the stigma around prenups and reframing them as the ultimate act of partnership design.


After spending nearly two decades building generation-defining companies like Google, Facebook, and SoFi, Libby noticed a glaring gap in how we handle our most significant personal "merger", marriage. She realized that while we plan meticulously for our careers and companies, we often leave our relationships to chance. She founded First to change that, shifting the narrative from a "breaking point" to "a "joining point."


From debunking the Sex and the City era myths about prenups to defining "modern money" (it’s not just cash, it’s your IP, your side hustle, and yes, even your pets), Libby is normalizing the hard conversations that actually make couples stronger. She’s helping women protect their "future selves" amidst the Great Wealth Transfer, ensuring they enter partnerships with clarity rather than crossed fingers.


In this conversation, Libby opens up about the reality of leaving a high-powered corporate career to build a startup while raising young children. She discusses why "work-life balance" is a lie we need to stop believing, how she uses "focus" as her superpower to navigate different seasons of life, and why she believes your failures will always teach you more than your successes.


Whether you’re walking down the aisle, negotiating a raise, or just trying to figure out how to integrate your ambition with your life, this episode offers a new operating agreement for it all.


The Breadwinners Website 


First Official Website 


First's Instagram

Libby’s Instagram

Breadwinner's Instagram


Business Insider Article


Use code THEBREADWINNERS at checkout for $100 off First lawyer reviewed prenup package

Promo code available 1/5/2026 through 3/1/2026 11:59p PT; all coupon codes must be used a checkout at time of purchase (no retroactive discounts), terms and conditions apply

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4789 The Breadwinners Podcast | Trailer They say you can't have it all — that mothers must choose between ambition and presence. But what if we're asking the wrong question? On The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos redefines what it means to be a Breadwinner in modern culture, moving it far beyond the paycheck. Through raw, honest conversations with women like Morgan Zanotti (CEO of Primal Kitchen), Nicole Trunfio (CEO of Bumpsuit), and Eve Rodsky (Author of Fair Play & Find Your Unicorn Space), we explore what it really takes to bring financial richness, emotional richness, and systemic change to our families. This isn't about balance, it's about integration. Not perfection, but wholeness. Whether you're already navigating motherhood and career, building your empire before kids arrive, or reimagining what family leadership looks like, these conversations will challenge everything you've been told about what's possible. The Breadwinners: Where ambitious mothers aren't just earning a living, they're pioneering a new era for themselves, and everyone who comes next. Learn more at thebreadwinners.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Wed, 31 Dec 2025 15:41:00 -0000 trailer 1 Alexis Contos They say you can't have it all — that mothers must choose between ambition and presence. But what if we're asking the wrong question? On The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos redefines what it means to be a Breadwinner in modern culture, moving it far beyond the paycheck. Through raw, honest conversations with women like Morgan Zanotti (CEO of Primal Kitchen), Nicole Trunfio (CEO of Bumpsuit), and Eve Rodsky (Author of Fair Play & Find Your Unicorn Space), we explore what it really takes to bring financial richness, emotional richness, and systemic change to our families. This isn't about balance, it's about integration. Not perfection, but wholeness. Whether you're already navigating motherhood and career, building your empire before kids arrive, or reimagining what family leadership looks like, these conversations will challenge everything you've been told about what's possible. The Breadwinners: Where ambitious mothers aren't just earning a living, they're pioneering a new era for themselves, and everyone who comes next. Learn more at thebreadwinners.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices They say you can't have it all — that mothers must choose between ambition and presence. But what if we're asking the wrong question?

On The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos redefines what it means to be a Breadwinner in modern culture, moving it far beyond the paycheck. Through raw, honest conversations with women like Morgan Zanotti (CEO of Primal Kitchen), Nicole Trunfio (CEO of Bumpsuit), and Eve Rodsky (Author of Fair Play & Find Your Unicorn Space), we explore what it really takes to bring financial richness, emotional richness, and systemic change to our families.

This isn't about balance, it's about integration. Not perfection, but wholeness.

Whether you're already navigating motherhood and career, building your empire before kids arrive, or reimagining what family leadership looks like, these conversations will challenge everything you've been told about what's possible.

The Breadwinners: Where ambitious mothers aren't just earning a living, they're pioneering a new era for themselves, and everyone who comes next.

Learn more at thebreadwinners.co

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 162 EP. 05 | Morgan Zanotti on Building Brands, & Building Family In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Morgan Zanotti, the founder behind Waay and former leader at Primal Kitchen, to discuss what it really takes to build wellness brands while being a breadwinner mother. From navigating the competitive CPG industry to creating products that align with her values as a parent, Morgan shares the unfiltered reality of startup life, financial responsibility, and integration. Learn about her journey from established brand to founder, her philosophy on health and family, and how she's redefining what success looks like as a mother-entrepreneur in the wellness space. The Breadwinners: https://thebreadwinners.co/ Waay: https://drinkwaay.com/ Morgan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganzanotti/ Alexis' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lex919 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Wed, 31 Dec 2025 15:41:00 -0000 full 1 5 Alexis Contos In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Morgan Zanotti, the founder behind Waay and former leader at Primal Kitchen, to discuss what it really takes to build wellness brands while being a breadwinner mother. From navigating the competitive CPG industry to creating products that align with her values as a parent, Morgan shares the unfiltered reality of startup life, financial responsibility, and integration. Learn about her journey from established brand to founder, her philosophy on health and family, and how she's redefining what success looks like as a mother-entrepreneur in the wellness space. The Breadwinners: https://thebreadwinners.co/ Waay: https://drinkwaay.com/ Morgan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganzanotti/ Alexis' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lex919 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Morgan Zanotti, the founder behind Waay and former leader at Primal Kitchen, to discuss what it really takes to build wellness brands while being a breadwinner mother.

From navigating the competitive CPG industry to creating products that align with her values as a parent, Morgan shares the unfiltered reality of startup life, financial responsibility, and integration. Learn about her journey from established brand to founder, her philosophy on health and family, and how she's redefining what success looks like as a mother-entrepreneur in the wellness space.


The Breadwinners: https://thebreadwinners.co/ Waay: https://drinkwaay.com/ Morgan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganzanotti/ Alexis' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lex919

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3335 EP. 04 | Nicole Trunfio on Making Motherhood Desirable and Rewriting Every Rule Along the Way In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Nicole Trunfio—supermodel, founder of Bumpsuit, and mother of three—who's on a mission to do something radical: make motherhood desirable, not just manageable.When Nicole's father told her "You have a strong head on your shoulders and I trust you," she took that trust and ran—straight to New York to model, then straight through every outdated rule about what mothers should look like, how they should behave, and what they should accept. She built Bumpsuit and started a movement.From studying ancient Ayurvedic postpartum practices (belly binding, the first 40 days, pelvic floor work) to openly discussing the things mothers are "supposed" to whisper about, Nicole is rewriting the entire system. She's not just designing maternity wear—she's amplifying mothers' voices and creating camaraderie among women who are tired of being told motherhood is something to merely survive.In this conversation, Nicole shares how she balances raising three children with Gary Clark Jr. on a Texas ranch while running a company that's fundamentally about changing how we see motherhood—not as sacrifice or limitation, but as power. Learn about her move-fast-break-things approach to business, why she has high expectations for her children while also giving them radical trust, and how she's teaching the next generation to be their own best advocates.Whether you're breaking rules, building systems, or just trying to feel like yourself again—this episode will challenge how you think about what's possible when we stop managing motherhood and start making it magnetic. Liver flushing Nicole's Instagram The Breadwinners ⁠The Breadwinners on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 30 Dec 2025 23:45:00 -0000 full 1 4 Alexis Contos In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Nicole Trunfio—supermodel, founder of Bumpsuit, and mother of three—who's on a mission to do something radical: make motherhood desirable, not just manageable.When Nicole's father told her "You have a strong head on your shoulders and I trust you," she took that trust and ran—straight to New York to model, then straight through every outdated rule about what mothers should look like, how they should behave, and what they should accept. She built Bumpsuit and started a movement.From studying ancient Ayurvedic postpartum practices (belly binding, the first 40 days, pelvic floor work) to openly discussing the things mothers are "supposed" to whisper about, Nicole is rewriting the entire system. She's not just designing maternity wear—she's amplifying mothers' voices and creating camaraderie among women who are tired of being told motherhood is something to merely survive.In this conversation, Nicole shares how she balances raising three children with Gary Clark Jr. on a Texas ranch while running a company that's fundamentally about changing how we see motherhood—not as sacrifice or limitation, but as power. Learn about her move-fast-break-things approach to business, why she has high expectations for her children while also giving them radical trust, and how she's teaching the next generation to be their own best advocates.Whether you're breaking rules, building systems, or just trying to feel like yourself again—this episode will challenge how you think about what's possible when we stop managing motherhood and start making it magnetic. Liver flushing Nicole's Instagram The Breadwinners ⁠The Breadwinners on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Nicole Trunfio—supermodel, founder of Bumpsuit, and mother of three—who's on a mission to do something radical: make motherhood desirable, not just manageable.
When Nicole's father told her "You have a strong head on your shoulders and I trust you," she took that trust and ran—straight to New York to model, then straight through every outdated rule about what mothers should look like, how they should behave, and what they should accept. She built Bumpsuit and started a movement.
From studying ancient Ayurvedic postpartum practices (belly binding, the first 40 days, pelvic floor work) to openly discussing the things mothers are "supposed" to whisper about, Nicole is rewriting the entire system. She's not just designing maternity wear—she's amplifying mothers' voices and creating camaraderie among women who are tired of being told motherhood is something to merely survive.
In this conversation, Nicole shares how she balances raising three children with Gary Clark Jr. on a Texas ranch while running a company that's fundamentally about changing how we see motherhood—not as sacrifice or limitation, but as power. Learn about her move-fast-break-things approach to business, why she has high expectations for her children while also giving them radical trust, and how she's teaching the next generation to be their own best advocates.
Whether you're breaking rules, building systems, or just trying to feel like yourself again—this episode will challenge how you think about what's possible when we stop managing motherhood and start making it magnetic.


Liver flushing

Nicole's Instagram

The Breadwinners

⁠The Breadwinners on Instagram

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]]> 4226 EP. 01 | Kim Chappell (Chief Brand Officer, Bobbie) | Nobody Is Doing It All "You're not hitting your skincare routine, being a great mom, crushing it at your job, putting dinner on the table, and having sex with your husband in 24 hours every day,” says Kim Chappell, the chief brand officer at Bobbie. “Nobody is. That's not happening." On our first episode of The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos talks with Kim about the inaugural “breadwinner dinner” at SXSW, returning to work and navigating guilt after maternity leave, and what’s next after "girlboss" culture. In the third era of working families, where success isn't about perfection but about defining your own boundaries, what does it mean to be a breadwinner? Kim explains why the future belongs to women who refuse to choose between career and family. Links: The Breadwinners Bobbie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 30 Dec 2025 23:44:00 -0000 full 1 1 Alexis Contos "You're not hitting your skincare routine, being a great mom, crushing it at your job, putting dinner on the table, and having sex with your husband in 24 hours every day,” says Kim Chappell, the chief brand officer at Bobbie. “Nobody is. That's not happening." On our first episode of The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos talks with Kim about the inaugural “breadwinner dinner” at SXSW, returning to work and navigating guilt after maternity leave, and what’s next after "girlboss" culture. In the third era of working families, where success isn't about perfection but about defining your own boundaries, what does it mean to be a breadwinner? Kim explains why the future belongs to women who refuse to choose between career and family. Links: The Breadwinners Bobbie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices "You're not hitting your skincare routine, being a great mom, crushing it at your job, putting dinner on the table, and having sex with your husband in 24 hours every day,” says Kim Chappell, the chief brand officer at Bobbie. “Nobody is. That's not happening." On our first episode of The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos talks with Kim about the inaugural “breadwinner dinner” at SXSW, returning to work and navigating guilt after maternity leave, and what’s next after "girlboss" culture. In the third era of working families, where success isn't about perfection but about defining your own boundaries, what does it mean to be a breadwinner? Kim explains why the future belongs to women who refuse to choose between career and family. Links: The Breadwinners

Bobbie

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4605 no EP. 02 | Aileen Fitzgerald on The Art of Devotion In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Aileen Fitzgerald, an Austin-based landscape artist who embodies "the art of devotion." After eight years as an ICU nurse, Aileen made the bold decision to pursue her childhood passion for painting while raising her daughter Lilah. From overcoming early discouragement to choosing emotional richness over financial security, Aileen shares how she navigates the tension between scheduling for freedom, presence and productivity. Learn about her commitment to seeing life in pure colors (literally - she won't wear sunglasses), her belief in physical connection as a love language, and how she's modeling authenticity for her 2 daughters while building a thriving artistic practice. The Breadwinners Aileen Fitz Art Aileen's Instagram Alexis' Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 30 Dec 2025 23:43:00 -0000 full 1 2 Alexis Contos In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Aileen Fitzgerald, an Austin-based landscape artist who embodies "the art of devotion." After eight years as an ICU nurse, Aileen made the bold decision to pursue her childhood passion for painting while raising her daughter Lilah. From overcoming early discouragement to choosing emotional richness over financial security, Aileen shares how she navigates the tension between scheduling for freedom, presence and productivity. Learn about her commitment to seeing life in pure colors (literally - she won't wear sunglasses), her belief in physical connection as a love language, and how she's modeling authenticity for her 2 daughters while building a thriving artistic practice. The Breadwinners Aileen Fitz Art Aileen's Instagram Alexis' Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode, Alexis Contos sits down with Aileen Fitzgerald, an Austin-based landscape artist who embodies "the art of devotion." After eight years as an ICU nurse, Aileen made the bold decision to pursue her childhood passion for painting while raising her daughter Lilah. From overcoming early discouragement to choosing emotional richness over financial security, Aileen shares how she navigates the tension between scheduling for freedom, presence and productivity. Learn about her commitment to seeing life in pure colors (literally - she won't wear sunglasses), her belief in physical connection as a love language, and how she's modeling authenticity for her 2 daughters while building a thriving artistic practice. The Breadwinners

Aileen Fitz Art

Aileen's Instagram

Alexis' Instagram

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 4845 no EP. 03 | Julie Cordua | When Your Currency Is Children's Lives: 15 Years Fighting Online Child Exploitation In this powerful episode, Alexis Contos reunites with Julie Cordua, CEO of Thorn, an organization building technology to defend children from online child sex exploitation. Julie and Alexis worked together 15 years ago on Thorn's launch, and Alexis has watched Julie dedicate her life to this essential work while raising her own family. Content note: This episode discusses child sexual abuse and trafficking. While we don't include graphic details, the subject matter is inherently difficult. This conversation explores what it means to be a Breadwinner when your currency isn't just financial - it's measured in children identified, child sex exploitation content identified and removed, and technology platforms made safer. We discuss the impact of AI on child exploitation, the reality of the dark web, how tech companies must do better, and - critically - what parents can do right now to protect their children online.Julie shares practical guidance for talking to kids about online safety, warning signs to watch for, and how everyday people can join the fight against child exploitation. Whether you're a parent trying to navigate your child's digital life or someone who wants to understand how to make a difference, this conversation will inform and empower you." Thorn.org Thorn on Instagram Julie's TED Talk Thorn Parent Guide The Breadwinners on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 30 Dec 2025 23:41:00 -0000 full 1 3 Alexis Contos In this powerful episode, Alexis Contos reunites with Julie Cordua, CEO of Thorn, an organization building technology to defend children from online child sex exploitation. Julie and Alexis worked together 15 years ago on Thorn's launch, and Alexis has watched Julie dedicate her life to this essential work while raising her own family. Content note: This episode discusses child sexual abuse and trafficking. While we don't include graphic details, the subject matter is inherently difficult. This conversation explores what it means to be a Breadwinner when your currency isn't just financial - it's measured in children identified, child sex exploitation content identified and removed, and technology platforms made safer. We discuss the impact of AI on child exploitation, the reality of the dark web, how tech companies must do better, and - critically - what parents can do right now to protect their children online.Julie shares practical guidance for talking to kids about online safety, warning signs to watch for, and how everyday people can join the fight against child exploitation. Whether you're a parent trying to navigate your child's digital life or someone who wants to understand how to make a difference, this conversation will inform and empower you." Thorn.org Thorn on Instagram Julie's TED Talk Thorn Parent Guide The Breadwinners on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this powerful episode, Alexis Contos reunites with Julie Cordua, CEO of Thorn, an organization building technology to defend children from online child sex exploitation. Julie and Alexis worked together 15 years ago on Thorn's launch, and Alexis has watched Julie dedicate her life to this essential work while raising her own family.


Content note: This episode discusses child sexual abuse and trafficking. While we don't include graphic details, the subject matter is inherently difficult.


This conversation explores what it means to be a Breadwinner when your currency isn't just financial - it's measured in children identified, child sex exploitation content identified and removed, and technology platforms made safer. We discuss the impact of AI on child exploitation, the reality of the dark web, how tech companies must do better, and - critically - what parents can do right now to protect their children online.
Julie shares practical guidance for talking to kids about online safety, warning signs to watch for, and how everyday people can join the fight against child exploitation. Whether you're a parent trying to navigate your child's digital life or someone who wants to understand how to make a difference, this conversation will inform and empower you."


Thorn.org

Thorn on Instagram

Julie's TED Talk

Thorn Parent Guide

The Breadwinners on Instagram

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3488