Her Intentional Reset: Career changes and second acts for women in midlife

You've built a solid business, but the old way of getting found on Google is quietly disappearing — and if your website isn't speaking a language AI can find, your competitors are already winning customers you never knew existed. Most business owners have no idea this shift has already happened. Vivienne Wagner, founder and CEO of Houndstooth Media Group, bootstrapped her digital marketing agency from a divorce-era blogging hobby into a 16-person team, and now specializes in helping business owners get found by AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude, not just Google. In this episode, she breaks down exactly what's changed and the zero-technical-skill steps any business owner can take today. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN [00:03] Vivienne's career pivot story before Houndstooth Media — from a divorce-era pottery business to a public administration and PR degree, and how those “unrelated” chapters quietly built her foundation as a digital marketing entrepreneur [00:06] How saying yes to one ghostwriting favor for a friend accidentally launched a marketing agency — and the mindset shift from “one-time project” to “this is a business” [00:07] The marketing lesson from her pre-agency PR and public affairs career that still drives every strategy she builds: “nobody is searching for the cure, they're searching for the symptom” [00:13] AI search basics: why the shift from Google SEO to AI search matters right now for entrepreneurs, business owners, and side hustlers — and what's at risk for your revenue if you don't adapt [00:16] Entrepreneurship lessons on building a business around your personal core values — why she hires and fires on integrity, loyalty, kindness, thankfulness, and humor, and how “the freedom to say no” became her most profitable business decision [00:29] AI search vs. Google search, explained through her librarian-vs.-detective analogy — why understanding how your customers use AI is becoming essential for any business or side hustle, and the real difference between ranking on Google and getting recommended by ChatGPT or Claude [00:38] The zero-technical-skill steps you can take today to audit whether your own website clearly communicates who you are, what you do, and who you serve [00:44] Financial considerations for entrepreneurs — her approach to paying yourself first, pricing your services without racing to the bottom, and planning for retirement and long-term financial goals as a business owner RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST Vivienne's free AI Visibility Webinar: https://houndstooth-media-group.webinargeek.com/aio-webinar-get-your-business-found?cst=her-intentional-reset HOW TO CONNECT WITH GUEST Website: https://houndstoothmediagroup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houndstoothmediagroup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivienne-wagner/ Email: [email protected] CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: Aion Link: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest Code MOLLY10 — 10% off, stackable, HSA/FSA eligible HER INTENTIONAL RESET CONTACT INFO Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@herintentionalreset-podcast Follow + listen everywhere: https://linktr.ee/molly_HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset — no pressure, just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from Uppbeat (free for creators): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward · License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Kerry Keenan and Jill Schoenecker built their nursing careers around hospice care — right up until their health system sold the program to a for-profit company. They had two options: stay and keep doing work that no longer felt like theirs, or walk away. Between them, they'd tried a version of each, and neither stuck. Then a colleague said it out loud: “You can start your own business. How hard could it be?” So they did — sketching out a third option from scratch on a whiteboard in Jill's living room, built around one guiding idea from day one: “we don't want to be the biggest, we want to be the best.” For any woman in her 40s or 50s facing a career change that doesn't sit right anymore, this episode shows there's a path beyond staying or walking away. About the Guests Kerry Keenan and Jill Schoenecker are the co-founders of Beyond Hospice, a nonprofit hospice program and division of Episcopal Homes, serving the greater Twin Cities area in Minnesota through both community-based hospice care and The Pillars, its residential hospice home. Kerry Keenan, RN, MA, is co-founder and Executive Director of Beyond Hospice. Her nursing career spans 31 years, 25 of them in hospice care, including 12 years in academia as faculty and director at Century College. Kerry has presented locally and nationally, served as a surveyor for NLNAC, and currently serves on the Practice and Standards Committee for MNHPC and as a consultant for the Minnesota State Board of Nursing. She began her career as a nursing assistant before earning her LPN, ADN, and BSN from the College of St. Catherine's, and later her MA in nursing education from Bethel University. Jill Schoenecker, RN, BSN, PHN, BA, certified CHAP leader, is co-founder and Director of Clinical Operations at Beyond Hospice. She brings over 20 years of nursing experience to the role, having started her career in acute care before transitioning to hospice, where she's spent the past four years in nursing leadership. Jill holds a BA in sociology, with a minor in psychology, from the University of Minnesota, and a BSN from St. Catherine University. Outside the clinical side, she's dedicated countless hours to community service through Dorothy Day Center, Open Arms, People Serving People, and Sharing and Caring Hands. What You Will Learn [05:48] How a living room meeting — a whiteboard, five colleagues, and a shared frustration — became the starting point for Beyond Hospice [10:44] Why they partnered with Episcopal Homes instead of going fully independent, and what a bank actually asked for as collateral on a million-dollar loan [11:24] How Beyond Hospice stepped in to save The Pillars, a residential hospice home, from closing for good [26:37] The moment a colleague's off-hand comment turned frustration into an actual plan to start their own hospice program [39:53] The industry rating system that measures whether a hospice program is actually delivering quality care — and how Beyond Hospice scored on it [46:52] The financial reality that surprised them most: why it took over a year to receive their first Medicare reimbursement payment [50:17] What's next for Beyond Hospice as the program continues to grow Guest Links Website: www.beyondhospicemn.org Connect with Sponsor: Aion Weighted vests — code MOLLY10 for 10% off, stackable, HSA/FSA eligible. Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest Connect with HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Every doctor told Brittany Gieske the exhaustion, the stubborn weight, and the symptoms with no clear cause were just "normal" postpartum life. She didn't believe it — so she found the answers doctors never tested for, then walked away from a ten-year corporate career to make sure other women didn't have to go looking alone. Brittany is a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner (FDN-P) and founder of The Metabolic Method, where she helps women get past the hormone, metabolism, and gut-health roadblocks that "eat less, move more" can't fix. In this conversation, she walks through what functional weight loss actually looks like, how she tested it on herself before building a business around it, and the financial and family trade-offs of leaving corporate to do it full-time. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [03:34] Why a stable, well-paying decade at Oracle wasn't enough to keep Brittany from chasing her own health answers [06:31] The postpartum symptoms her doctors dismissed as "normal" — and why she went back to school instead of accepting that [24:13] What functional weight loss actually means, and why calories-in/calories-out breaks down for women over 30 [30:11] How to tell the difference between a hormone disorder and normal perimenopause symptoms [42:49] The hiring advice from her business coach that she thought was "nuts" — and why it changed everything HOW TO CONNECT WITH GUEST Instagram: @ BalancedbyBrittany Free Weight Loss Audit: Here The Metabolic Method: Here Free consult for 1:1 Coaching Inquiries: Book here HER INTENTIONAL RESET CONTACT INFO Website / email list: herintentionalreset.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION Listener promotion: 10% off with code MOLLY10, stackable with AION's current sale. HSA/FSA eligible. Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

You're good at your job, you're juggling everything, and somewhere underneath all of it there's a quiet question you haven't answered yet: what do I actually want to do next? The problem isn't that you don't know how to work hard — it's that no one ever taught you how to listen to yourself. ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This week is a replay of one of our favorite conversations as we wrap up our first Her Intentional Reset Experience: The Artist's Way Creative Cluster. Molly shares how The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron kept showing up in her life right when she needed it — and why that's not as mystical as it sounds. Then she talks with Calleen De Oliveira, who used this exact book in her 40s to leave a 25-year advertising career, go to nursing school, and build a life she is proud of. What came out of those morning pages surprised even Calleen — and it went far beyond a career change. Plus: Molly shares how to join the next Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist's Way Creative Cluster, starting the week of October 5th. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [02:40] The three-day sequence that convinced Molly this book was worth paying attention to — and the neuroscience that explains why it happened [08:18] What The Artist's Way actually is — and why it's not just for people who want to paint [14:11] What morning pages did for Calleen that nothing else could: nursing school, sobriety, and a marriage she almost lost [20:26] What a real Creative Cluster looks like — Calleen's group of eight women stayed together for a decade [25:40] The right mindset to bring into this 12-week practice (and what Calleen says to anyone who doesn't want to commit) [33:33] How to join the next Her Intentional Reset Experience — The Artist's Way Creative Cluster, starting October 5th RESOURCES: "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron: https://a.co/d/09E1ps0J "The Right to Write" by Julia Cameron | https://amzn.to/49wcc5i Julia Cameron 12-Week Virtual Guide — available to HIRE: The Artist's Way Creative Cluster participants only. PODCAST REFERENCES: Her Intentional Reset Experience (HIRE): The Artist's Way Creative Cluster Join our private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/herintentionalresetexperience Register for weekly Zoom meetings: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/S33ThawJTsyLfEMjEDgl7Q Website: https://herintentionalreset.com/community/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 LOGISTICS: Her Intentional Reset Experience (HIRE) \Week 1 starts October 5th, 2026 – Week 12 the week of December 21st, 2026 Weekly virtual meetings, Wednesdays at noon Come when you can. No pressure, no perfect attendance, no guilt. If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

There is a moment when something finally feels like you — not the version that carpools and manages spreadsheets, but the version that has been waiting. Marissa found hers in a color drape. She didn't blow up her life — she built a new one, slowly, intentionally, one client at a time, and she's here to show you exactly how she did it. ABOUT THIS REPLAY: This is an encore of Marissa's episode, with a fresh update on where Marissa is now. ABOUT MARISSA RAY: Marissa Ray went from dental office manager and self-described introvert to House of Colour franchise owner with a waitlist and a TV segment — not by quitting her life overnight, but by saying yes to one small thing that brought her joy and following it with intention. She built a thriving business from a converted storage room — one client at a time — while raising three daughters and navigating an adult ADHD diagnosis. Marissa is a curator of confidence, a mentor to fellow consultants, and living proof that building slow and building intentionally is not a weakness — it's the strategy. This conversation is a masterclass in building a part-time side gig into a full-time career pivot without burning down the life you already have. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [02:30] How Marissa reclaimed her identity and sense of self — and how that single spark became a career [27:00] What intentional, slow-build growth actually looks like — the real timeline, trade-offs, and mindset behind turning a part-time side gig into a full-time business [45:00] How an adult ADHD diagnosis reframed everything about the way Marissa runs her business — and why self-awareness is a superpower, not a setback [01:01:00] How to learn to sell without feeling salesy — and why believing in your own value is the skill that unlocks everything else [01:08:00] The Profit First method in practice: how Marissa pays herself first, gives intentionally, and builds a business that funds the life she actually wants UPDATE FROM MARISSA: Since our recording, Marissa is looking to grow her team. If you're interested in learning about a meaningful career with opportunities for personal and professional growth under the leadership of Minnesota's top House of Colour franchise owner, reach out with questions. Learn more about becoming a stylist: https://www.houseofcolour.com/become-a-stylist GUEST OFFER: If you're interested in finding your own colors and style, book an appointment. Come see Marissa or find a consultant near you — there may be other stylists in your area. View all House of Colour stylists: https://www.houseofcolour.com/find-consultant And if you think this could be a career fit for you, reach out. GUEST RESOURCES Books: "Profit First" by Mike Michalowicz — The small business financial system Marissa uses to pay herself first and manage cash flow intentionally "The Total Money Makeover" / Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey — The debt-free philosophy behind Marissa's family money decisions and college savings strategy "When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing" by Daniel Pink — The book that changed how Marissa structures her entire workday and week around energy peaks and lulls "Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Shelby Van Pelt — Marissa's favorite recent fiction read "It Sounds Like Love" by Ashley Poston — A romcom Marissa says stuck with her long after the last page Podcasts: The Lazy Genius Podcast by Kendra Adachi — Marissa's life-changing recommendation, and the source of the infamous "Change Your Life Chicken" recipe GUEST LINKS: Marissa Ray, House of Colour SW Minneapolis Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houseofcolour.minneapolis.sw Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseofcolour.minneapolis.sw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/houseofcolour-minneapolis-sw/ Website: https://www.houseofcolour.com/stylists/marissa-ray-southwest-minneapolis-minnesota Find a consultant near you: https://www.houseofcolour.com/find-consultant CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION Listener promotion: 10% off with code MOLLY10, stackable with AION's current sale. HSA/FSA eligible. Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. About the Show: Her Intentional Reset is a midlife podcast for women navigating career change — honest, deep-dive conversations about career pivots, second acts, and reinvention with women who've actually lived it. This women's empowerment podcast speaks to women in 30's, 40, women over 50, Gen X women, working moms, empty nesters, and corporate women dealing with burnout — women redefining success and finding their why after a layoff, a career wall, or the moment work just stopped feeling right. Each episode traces a real transition story: the catalyst for change behind it, whether that's a layoff story, career burnout, or hitting a wall; the steps and timeline behind how she actually made the change — quitting a corporate job, leaving corporate America, starting over professionally, and/or going from employee to entrepreneur; and an inside look at her industry along the way. The conversations also get into the practical side most career-change content skips: transferable skills, upskilling and reskilling in midlife, starting a business with no experience, and career change without a degree. And because money is always part of the story, guests talk financial planning for a career change — paying yourself first, building a financial runway and safety net, income gaps, self-employed health insurance, saving for retirement while self-employed, and the money mindset it takes to trade a paycheck for financial freedom in midlife. Guests share the career pivot lessons learned, the advice for career changers, and what they wish they'd known before quitting — then close out with a Rapid Round covering the real-life stuff: family recipes, book and show recommendations, a life motto, and a wellness or self-care tip for midlife women, because women are often each other's best guides and teachers. It's never too late to make a change, follow your intuition, and listen to that quiet voice — every episode leaves listeners feeling inspired and empowered to explore their own career pivot, second act, or next chapter, on their own terms. New episodes of this career change podcast and midlife podcast for women release biweekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.