Mom To MORE
In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Jennifer Rawlings, a fearless force in comedy, filmmaking, and motherhood. Jennifer is an award-winning performer, writer, and documentarian whose sharp humor has taken her from comedy clubs to war zones. She’s done over 350 military shows, given three TEDx Talks, and created the acclaimed documentary Forgotten Voices: Women in Bosnia, now used at Harvard and UCLA as part of their curriculum. She’s also a proud mom of five. Jennifer shares the tension between motherhood and ambition, from driving carpool in her robe to...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Natalie Silverstein, a powerhouse in the world of service, philanthropy, and family engagement. Natalie is an author, speaker, nonprofit founder, and advocate for youth and family service. She wrote Simple Acts: The Busy Family's Guide to Giving Back and The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference, both of which provide practical ways for families to incorporate service into their lives. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Simple Acts, Big Impact, where she celebrates young changemakers. Natalie shares her journey...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Kathleen Smith, founder of MorphMom, a multimedia platform dedicated to educating, inspiring, empowering, and connecting women as they navigate their next chapters. After earning degrees from Holy Cross and Georgetown Law, Kathleen served as an assistant prosecutor before stepping away from her career to raise her children. She soon realized re-entering the workforce wasn’t as simple as she had hoped. This inspired her to create MorphMom, a space where women could share their journeys, support one another, and find inspiration to...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Katie Greer, a trailblazing internet safety expert, keynote speaker, and mom of two. From her beginnings in law enforcement to becoming a sought-after authority on digital safety, Katie shares her journey of building a meaningful career while balancing motherhood and self-care. Katie began her career at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, creating programs to help families and schools navigate online safety. Featured in major outlets like USA Today and Time, she’s now pursuing a PhD in Criminology, focusing on teens...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey is joined by Caryn Carruthers, cookbook author, photographer, ceramicist, and health enthusiast. Caryn shares her journey from a high-powered career in mechanical engineering to becoming a stay-at-home mom and creative entrepreneur. With a passion for healthy living inspired by her personal challenges with food allergies, Caryn authors the blog Tasty and Free and is the creator of Smorgasbowl, a beautifully photographed cookbook that offers a roadmap for creating delicious, nutritious, and allergy-friendly meals. Caryn discusses...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Missy Tannen, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Boll & Branch, the luxury home goods company known for its award-winning 100% organic cotton sheets. From her roots as a third-grade teacher to building a renowned brand, Missy shares her journey of reinvention, innovation, and balancing life as a mom of three. Missy reveals how her attention to detail and commitment to sustainability shaped Boll & Branch’s iconic sheets and drove her vision for ethical production. She also opens up about the challenges of...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey is joined by Jo Piazza, international bestselling author, acclaimed podcast creator, and mom of three feral children. Jo’s books, including The Sicilian Inheritance, We Are Not Like Them, and How to Be Married, have been published internationally and optioned for film and TV. She’s also the creative force behind podcasts like Under the Influence, which explores the influencer economy, and Committed, featuring stories about modern relationships. Jo shares her unique perspective on how she dedicates those precious 6 hours a day to work when...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey is joined by visionary storyteller and mom, Christine Swanson, a multiple award-winning director recognized for her powerful and heartfelt filmmaking. Christine Swanson, a Detroit native, earned a BA from Notre Dame and an MFA in film from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she was recognized as one of its most promising filmmakers. Her career includes developing and directing projects for major studios such as HBO, Lionsgate, BET Films, and Warner Bros. Tune in as Sharon and Christine delve into the challenges of balancing motherhood with...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE™, host Sharon Macey is joined by Nancy Travis, actress and mom who is creating her next chapter. Nancy Travis has built a long and versatile career in film, television and theater with roles that include ‘Last Man Standing’, ‘Three Men and a Baby’, ‘The Kominsky Method,’ the cult classic ‘So I Married an Axe Murderer' and Hallmark’s ‘Ride’, among many others. On Broadway, Nancy performed in Brighton Beach Memoirs and I’m Not Rappaport. Newer projects include Grosse Pointe Garden Society on NBC and Amazon’s El Gato. She...
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In this episode of Mom to MORE™, host Sharon Macey is joined by Kay Paschal, entrepreneur, early childhood educator and author. After leaving a corporate career to raise her two sons, Kay and her husband founded a preschool in Atlanta…with no previous early childhood experience…what could go wrong…which expanded to two locations, and thrived for over 25 years. Kay served on the Georgia Child Care Association Board, contributed parenting articles to local publications, and wrote her book entitled Insert Giggle Giggle – Laughing Your Way Through Raising Kids and Running a...
info_outlineIn this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey is joined by Jo Piazza, international bestselling author, acclaimed podcast creator, and mom of three feral children.
Jo’s books, including The Sicilian Inheritance, We Are Not Like Them, and How to Be Married, have been published internationally and optioned for film and TV. She’s also the creative force behind podcasts like Under the Influence, which explores the influencer economy, and Committed, featuring stories about modern relationships.
Jo shares her unique perspective on how she dedicates those precious 6 hours a day to work when her kids are in school, while balancing an impressive career in writing and podcasting while raising her three children. With humor and authenticity, she discusses the challenges of maintaining efficiency, prioritizing self-care, and embracing the chaos of motherhood.
Tune in for a rich conversation that dives into Jo’s creative process, her thoughts on the evolving landscape of motherhood, and the inspiration behind her latest best-selling novel, The Sicilian Inheritance.
[00:00] Introduction
[02:33] Jo’s journey as a working mom balancing motherhood and a career in storytelling
[05:43] Embracing imperfection: Why “done is better than perfect.”
[07:30] How motherhood has influenced Jo’s creative voice
[12:08] The importance of self-care in the thick of parenting
[18:59] Accepting help to thrive as a mom and creator.
[22:58] The Sicilian Inheritance: A twisty, poignant novel exploring motherhood and ambition
[27:24] Jo’s MORE - Hint: It involves taking to the skies!
Meet My Guest Jo Piazza
Instagram: @JoPiazzaAuthor
Podcast: Under the Influence
Substack: Over the Influence
Website: https://www.jopiazza.com/
Jo’s most recent best-selling novel, The Sicilian Inheritance: https://go.sylikes.com/eNyVoRDkfHry
Looking for More? Follow @momtomore on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. @Sharon Macey on LinkedIn.
Keep an eye out for episode #29 of the Mom to MORE™ podcast where Sharon is joined by Missy Tannen, co-founder of the luxury bedding company Boll & Branch. Coming soon - you won’t want to miss it ♥