In this Festoon 500 interview, host Dani Wallace sits down with Claire Bartlett — The Simplified CEO — to talk about a topic that's rarely discussed in business circles: perimenopause, and the very real impact it has on founders, leaders and their teams.Claire built and ran an accounting practice for over a decade before perimenopause forced her to rethink everything — and now she helps perimenopausal coaches, consultants and business owners simplify their businesses instead of burning out inside them. In this conversation, Claire and Dani get honest about brain fog, lost confidence, the "sandwich generation" squeeze, and why hustle culture was never designed with women's cyclical bodies in mind — plus what allies, employers and mixed-gender workplaces can do to genuinely support the 13 million women in the UK currently navigating perimenopause.Whether you're a founder feeling like you're "losing your edge," a leader with perimenopausal team members, or simply curious about a life stage that affects half the population, this episode offers permission, practical language, and a reminder that this can be an evolution — not an ending.In this episode:What "The Simplified CEO" approach actually meansWhy so many women close their businesses during perimenopause — and why that's preventableThe cognitive symptoms nobody talks about (brain fog, word loss, decision fatigue)Claire's own story: 10+ years running an accounting firm before perimenopause changed everythingHow to build policies and support structures for perimenopausal employees and foundersWhat allies in mixed-gender workplaces can do differentlyConnect with Claire Bartlett:Instagram: @theclairebartlett | TikTok: @simplifiedceopodcast | YouTube: @clairebartlettPodcast: The Simplified CEO PodcastFree resource: https://therealclairebartlett.com/webinar-registrationJoin the Festoon 500: highlevel.thebigfestoon.com/festoon500Short version (social bio / caption):13 million UK women are perimenopausal right now — and it's quietly reshaping how they run their businesses. Claire Bartlett (The Simplified CEO) joins the Festoon 500 to talk brain fog, boundaries and building a business that works with your body, not against it. 🎙️Chapters

0:00 — Trailer

0:44 — Welcome & Introducing Claire Bartlett

3:34 — Meet Claire: The Simplified CEO

4:34 — Why Perimenopause Is a Business Crisis (the stats)7:17 — Compassion, Care & the Sandwich Generation

10:04 — Claire's Story: From Burnout to Rebuilding

12:47 — The Cognitive Symptoms Nobody Talks About

15:10 — Finding Safety in Shared Experience

17:16 — The Phone Battery Analogy: Understanding Cognitive Load

18:48 — Retreating, Embarrassment & Funny Relatable Moments

21:29 — The Power of "No F***s Given"

22:44 — Advice for Allies & Employers

25:29 — Building Policies as You Scale

26:23 — Where to Find Claire

27:00 — Outro & Join the Festoon 500