Multiple kids. A full-time career. A growing ministry.

When Debbie Simmons suddenly became a mom to five children overnight through adoption, she knew that surviving wasn't enough. Instead of letting the chaos take over, she built a simple system that gave every child a voice, created structure, and allowed her family to thrive—all while continuing to work full time.

In this episode of Women and Work, Debbie shares how overcoming unimaginable personal tragedy shaped her leadership, motherhood, and mission to help thousands of families heal through trauma counseling. From engineering to ministry, nonprofit leadership, and raising nine adopted children, her journey proves that structure, resilience, and purpose can coexist.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Raising five children while working full time

• Why family schedules reduce stress

• Leading through tragedy and trauma

• Building a successful nonprofit from scratch

• The Architecture of Trust

• Balancing leadership and motherhood

What's one system or routine that has made your family life easier?

Learn about building your own legacy at The Architecture of Trust: https://thedebbiesimmons.com/

Struggling to find the right child care? Get a video interview of your ideal nanny at https://www.momsub.com/child-care-options

#WomenAndWork #WorkingMoms #Leadership #Parenting #WomenInBusiness

Choosing between your career and your family shouldn't have to be the only option.

After becoming a mother, Marla Fronczak stepped away from a demanding career because she didn't realize flexible work arrangements were even possible. She reinvented herself as a real estate appraiser to gain more control over her schedule, overcame gender bias in a male-dominated industry, and eventually discovered a passion for serving older adults that led her to become CEO of AgeGuide.

In this episode of Women and Work, Marla shares how finding champions, embracing career pivots, and advocating for flexible workplaces helped her build a meaningful career without losing sight of what mattered most.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• Why she left her first career after becoming a mom

• Finding flexible work through entrepreneurship

• Facing discrimination as a woman in real estate appraisal

• The importance of mentors and career champions

• Reinventing your career at any stage of life

• Supporting working caregivers in today's workplace

• Why flexibility benefits both employers and employees

• Preparing for retirement while continuing to make an impact

What career decision ended up changing the direction of your life the most? Share your story in the comments.

Struggling to find the right child care? Get a video interview of your ideal nanny at https://www.momsub.com/child-care-options

#WomenAndWork #CareerGrowth #WorkingMoms #Leadership #CareerChange

Trying to live up to everyone else's expectations can lead you down a path that doesn't truly belong to you.

For Mariaelena Morales, years of striving for perfection were rooted in a childhood where she never felt like she was enough. That drive pushed her to achieve prestigious milestones and pour everything into her career, only to eventually face burnout and realize she had been living according to other people's expectations instead of her own.

Today, as the Founder of Mariaelena Marketing, she shares how emotional trauma, burnout, autism, and redefining family helped her reclaim her life and career on her own terms.

In this episode, Mariaelena discusses:

• Growing up feeling like nothing was ever good enough

• The pressure of perfectionism and achievement

• Experiencing career and personal burnout

• Receiving an autism diagnosis as an adult

• Building a chosen family and support system

• Learning to set boundaries and advocate for herself

• Leaving corporate life to launch her own business

How have other people's expectations influenced the choices you've made in your career or life?

Struggling to find the right child care? Get a video interview of your ideal nanny at https://www.momsub.com/child-care-options

#WomenAndWork #CareerGrowth #BurnoutRecovery #WomenInBusiness #PersonalGrowth