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

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.

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.

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.

Ruby wrote her first book on a dare — an accountant who'd never wanted to write, plotting a love story in her head at the kitchen table. Four books, a number-one release, and an Audible deal later, she'll tell you she still can't believe she did it. What she won't say upfront: she wrote the book that hit number one while going through breast cancer treatment — and did it anyway. ABOUT THIS REPLAY: This is an encore of one of our early episodes, with bonus content and a fresh update from Ruby added. After the cold open you'll hear a quick housekeeping note from Molly, and at the end we've added extended bonus conversation plus a summer catch-up on where Ruby is now. ABOUT THE GUEST: Ruby Raynes lives a double life — accountant by day, romance author by night. Under her pen name she writes the Love in Ink series: low-angst, high-spice MM romance that has built a devoted and growing readership. In four years she's published four books, landed an Audible deal, and watched every release go further than the one before. She wrote her third book, Jasper — the one that went to number one — while undergoing treatment for stage 3C triple-negative breast cancer. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, daughter, and a whole zoo of animals. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [03:10] The offhand comment from a friend that turned a lifelong reader into a first-time writer [04:57] Why MM romance freed her from a battle she'd been having with herself every time she read [08:14] The deliberate choice behind the book's setting — and the quiet safety signal woven through the story [10:18] Why she publishes under a pen name, and what "Ruby Raynes" has come to mean to her [11:26] The writing schedule of a full-time accountant: late nights, early mornings, 500 words a day [12:26] The full indie pipeline — alpha, beta, editor, proofreader, ARC — and what she got wrong the first time [14:26] How Kindle Unlimited actually pays, and why she's staying in it for now [16:23] Landing the Audible deal — getting ghosted, then getting the yes [20:12] Writing Jasper through chemo, and why that book became her lifeline [24:33] The one-to-three-percent outcome that left her cancer-free [31:37] Can indie writing replace a day job? Ruby's honest math on back catalog and margins [32:34] Hiring, firing, and finding the assistant who let her write, fight, and still be there for her family [38:11] What she hopes her daughter takes from watching all of this [41:23] Release-day nerves, imposter syndrome, and why it gets harder, not easier BONUS CONTENT IN THIS REPLAY: [52:24] A closer look at self-publishing on Amazon KDP — and why it costs nothing to start [54:01] Paperbacks, cover design, and why buying direct from an author's website matters [55:15] The Audible process and landing her dream narrators [57:05] The real-life friends who show up as characters — including a true story that made it into Jasper [59:32] A first tease of her Christmas novella UPDATE FROM RUBY (Summer): Molly reconnected with Ruby — in person! — this summer. Ruby's reconstructive surgery this past April went well and she's mostly healed. She attended RomantiCon with her best friend and extended the trip with a vacation in Provincetown. All four Love in Ink books are now available on Audible. And she's just done the cover reveal for her upcoming Christmas story — preorder link and blurb below. COMING SOON FROM RUBY — "Beautiful Mile" Release date: November 10, 2025. Preorder now — paperback available on Amazon or Ruby's website. Preorder: https://books2read.com/BMile-sm About "Beautiful Mile" A standalone holiday romance. When a wrecked car and a Minnesota blizzard strand a city guy two days before Christmas, the only shelter for miles is a cabin owned by a grumpy, fiercely attractive lumberjack who lives in the woods for the quiet — and now has an unexpected houseguest. Snowed in, sharing one broken couch, two people from completely different worlds discover the spark between them runs a lot warmer than the storm outside. Expect a dramatic first meeting, plenty of heat and humor, and all the warmth you want from a Christmas story. GUEST LINKS: Ruby Raynes Website: https://www.rubyraynes.com Series: Love in Ink — Finn, Jackson, Jasper, Dom (book five on the way) Available on Amazon, Audible, and https://www.rubyraynes.com (illustrated covers, book boxes, and more) 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 RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Until I Saw You by Diana Romaine Heated Rivalry (Ruby's happy-place watch) 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. Note: This episode discusses a cancer diagnosis and treatment. If any of this is close to home for you, take care while listening.

Returning to work after a career break? Here's what stay-at-home moms get told: the years home don't count, you'll come back at a lower title, and you should take whatever salary is offered. Leah Tilstra rejected all three — and walked back into engineering at Abbott with a senior title and a sign-on bonus after twelve years raising four kids. How did she pull it off? She refused the apologetic part-time re-entry, used one old work relationship to land the right R&D team at Abbott, and walked into salary negotiations with a clear number and the willingness to be told no. The mantra she carries into every high-stakes room: "They didn't know me yesterday, but they'll remember me tomorrow." 🎧 A NOTE ON THIS EPISODE: This is a replay of Leah's original conversation — with a brand-new life-and-career update from Leah at the very end. Stick around after the interview for where things stand now, on both the family and career fronts. ABOUT THE GUEST: Leah Tilstra is a mechanical engineer and senior R&D engineer at Abbott, working on artificial heart valves in the TAVI space. Early in her career, she climbed quickly through medical device roles at Abbott, Zimmer Spine, and Boston Scientific, then made the intentional decision to step away for twelve years to raise her four children and support her family's move from Texas to Minnesota. During her career pause, she didn't just stay at home — Leah ran a nonprofit preschool, built a sewing business, coached middle school athletes, and led a moms' community group. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [00:14:59] The pharmacy wake-up moment that pushed Leah from "testing the waters" to returning to work full-time [00:22:18] The networking move — an old cube neighbor spotted in an org chart — that helped a stay-at-home mom return to engineering after a 12-year break [00:38:03] How to negotiate salary and a sign-on bonus after a long career pause — even when the company offers less [00:40:34] The one-line confidence script she repeats before any high-stakes room or interview [00:27:46] The "Shit My Wife Does" Google Doc that names the mental load every mom is carrying [00:54:53] Life update: dropping her oldest at the Air Force Academy, and a hard-won promotion to staff engineer GUEST LINKS Instagram: @illegallyblondie — https://www.instagram.com/illegallyblondie/ Facebook: @illegallyblond — https://www.facebook.com/illegallyblond LinkedIn: Leah Tilstra — https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-tilstra/ CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION AION weighted vests — HSA/FSA eligible. 10% off with code MOLLY10 — stackable with AION's current sale. https://aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: @herintentionalreset.co — https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: Her Intentional Reset — 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