SFIO 309 - Holidays, Pausing, and Flexing with the Seasons
Release Date: 11/26/2025
Still Figuring It Out
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📋 Episode Summary In this episode of Still Figuring It Out, Marc and Emily Pitman reflect on how the holidays have shifted over the years—from childhood traditions to parenting young adults, and from being nonprofit staff with year-end intensity to running a coaching practice with more margin. They discuss how working from home affects their ability to truly pause, how their values show up in how they decorate and celebrate, and how they now approach holidays with more intentionality, spaciousness, and flexibility. It’s a conversation about embracing change, honoring rest, and...
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📋 Episode Summary Marc and Emily explore the nuanced and personal decision of when (and whether) to get help—whether that’s in business, around the house, or in life. From their early years of hiring vacuuming help as new parents to their experiments with cleaning services, virtual assistants, and administrative support, they reflect on how each decision is shaped by values, seasons of life, and evolving clarity. They share candid lessons learned about identity, strengths, outsourcing too soon, and the surprising ways “help” can either support or strip away joy. 🔑 Key Takeaways ...
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📋 Episode Summary In this episode, Emily and Marc sit down with fundraising consultant and bow tie enthusiast Chris Baiocchi to explore how a career rooted in journalism led to a calling in philanthropy. Chris shares candidly about the leap from nonprofit staff to self-employed consultant, and what it’s taken to redefine success, stability, and service in his work. They unpack the nuances of donor relationships, alignment, and the importance of momentum—and toss in a few great sci-fi references for good measure. 🔑 Key Takeaways Fundraising is about alignment—doing the right...
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📋 Episode SummaryAndrea Ferry Daniels joins Emily and Marc for a candid conversation about sales, coaching, and showing up with purpose. As CEO of Rookie to Rainmaker, Andrea shares how she built a six-figure business from a South Jersey apartment, turned her gift for connection into a scalable model, and now helps others build confidence and close deals—with authenticity and heart. They talk about what it means to speak with impact, the power of letting go of familiar goals, and how to keep showing up even while you're still figuring it out. 🔑 Key Takeaways Sales doesn’t...
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📋 Episode Summary In this vulnerable and insightful episode, Marc and Emily open up about the evolution of their working relationship—and how their personal growth has shaped their professional path. They reflect on what it’s meant to co-create a life and a business, especially as Emily stepped more visibly into roles of leadership, coaching, and authorship. From sacred cows and shared systems to spontaneous pivots and solo retreats, this episode explores what it really takes to work together as equals—when the brand once felt like an extension of just one person, and when your growth...
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📋 Episode Summary Marc and Emily get candid about what it’s been like to build a life, family, and work in close proximity for more than 30 years. This episode dives into what it means to “work together now,” unpacking the realities of sharing space, parenting, making intentional choices—and growing up alongside each other. From early dreams of connection and community to unromantic but essential rituals (like coffee at 6 a.m. and cereal in low cupboards), they reflect on what’s helped them stick together through different seasons, even when things got messy. Not as advice—just...
info_outlineđź“‹ Episode Summary
In this episode of Still Figuring It Out, Marc and Emily Pitman reflect on how the holidays have shifted over the years—from childhood traditions to parenting young adults, and from being nonprofit staff with year-end intensity to running a coaching practice with more margin. They discuss how working from home affects their ability to truly pause, how their values show up in how they decorate and celebrate, and how they now approach holidays with more intentionality, spaciousness, and flexibility.
It’s a conversation about embracing change, honoring rest, and refocusing on what matters most as the seasons (and family structures) evolve.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Holiday traditions evolve—and that's okay.
- Being self-employed means intentionally creating boundaries around rest.
- Decorating the home can be an act of meaning-making, not just aesthetics.
- The end-of-year season is an opportunity for recalibration and imagination.
- Quietness, reflection, and margin are gifts we can give ourselves.
đź—Ł Quote Highlights
- “I really want a cookie.” – Emily
- “Being self-employed, you can always be working.” – Marc
- “Setting space, setting home, fixing our attention and affection on each other in such a way that in the dark months, we are refilling ourselves.” – Emily
- “There’s less friction when you just sit back for a minute and look at the horizon.” – Emily
- “Growing up, we had a lot of traditions. Some of them changed every year, which is kind of hilarious.” – Marc
đź§° Tools & Mentions
- Gordon Lightfoot’s Don Quixote album
- The “balcony moment” leadership metaphor (from Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky)
- Stephen Covey’s Quadrant II framework
- South Carolina State Parks
👥 Who Should Listen
- Parents navigating changing holiday traditions
- Coaches and entrepreneurs working from home
- Nonprofit professionals trying to reclaim year-end joy
- Anyone feeling the pressure—or the permission—of the holiday season
- Listeners needing a gentle reminder to pause and recalibrate
🎺 That Music!
Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music.
Lexi Moreno – composing / mixing / mastering / guitar
Caleb Pitman – composing / mixing / trumpet
Zoe Czarnecki – bass