From Babies to Barbie and Punk Rock Producing: Cristan Crocker’s SAHM Story
Mom To MORE
In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey welcomes Cristan Crocker—a former actress turned stay-at-home mom turned celebrated documentary filmmaker and producer. Known for powerful projects like The Other F Word and Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie, Cristan is co-founder of Rare Bird Films, where she tells stories that unpack identity, challenge societal norms, and celebrate change. Cristan shares how raising twin boys and a third son in the Pacific Palisades shaped her creative lens, giving her new perspective, purpose, and persistence. Deeply committed to both family and...
info_outline
Reinventing Your Life Through the Lens of Motherhood With Visual Artist Ellen Friedlander
Mom To MORE
We’re hitting rewind with this encore replay of the Mom to MORE® debut episode, featuring a bold reinvention that set the tone for everything that followed. Meet Ellen Friedlander. Originally from Upstate New York, Ellen has lived a life of creativity, movement and reinvention. She has lived in numerous cities across the United States, as well as fifteen years abroad in Hong Kong where she raised her two children. After moving back to the States with her kids and becoming an empty-nester, Ellen moved to Los Angeles in order to pursue her lifelong dream of being an artist. Ellen’s...
info_outline
From SAHM To Plant-Based Pro: Alisia Essig’s Path to PlantWhys
Mom To MORE
In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Ali Essig—a former Capitol Hill communications director who now empowers women from the kitchen and the Pilates studio. As a holistic plant-based nutritionist, Pilates instructor, and mom of six (including twin boys!), Ali is the founder of PlantWhys, where she helps women heal from the inside out through plant-predominant eating and core-focused movement. Ali’s journey began when her husband suffered a stroke at just 37. Paired with the early loss of her father, this sparked a deep dive into holistic wellness and a shift that...
info_outline
From SAHM to Sweat for Smiles: How Ashley Flanagan Slaughter Blends Fitness and Philanthropy
Mom To MORE
In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Ashley Flanagan Slaughter, founder of Sweat for Smiles—a new and unique organization that brings together fitness, wellness, and philanthropy through energizing community events. A former NCAA Division I swimmer and certified nutrition coach, Ashley has raised over $31,000 for charitable causes while inspiring others to move with purpose. Ashley’s story is one of intentional reinvention. Motivated by her own health journey and passion for giving back, she created Sweat for Smiles as a way to connect people through movement and...
info_outline
From SAHM to Legal Trailblazer: Lisa Johnson on Survival, Reinvention, and Fighting Back
Mom To MORE
In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Lisa Johnson, co-founder of Been There, Got Out and a powerful voice for women navigating high-conflict relationships and legal battles. Lisa is a certified domestic violence advocate, high-conflict divorce strategist, and self-represented litigant whose case was published in the Connecticut Law Journal, a rare honor for a self-represented litigant. Her testimony helped pass Jennifer’s Law in Connecticut, expanding domestic violence definitions to include coercive control. Her reinvention began as she fought to protect her...
info_outline
Calm Above, Chaos Below: A Mother's Day Mini
Mom To MORE
In this special Mother's Day mini episode of Mom to MORE®, Sharon reflects on what ducks can teach us about reinvention after motherhood. Sharon shares why your ducks don’t need to be in a row to start your next chapter—and how the messy work you’re already doing is moving you forward. It's the pep talk every mom needs today. Looking for More? Follow @momtomore on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. @Sharon Macey on LinkedIn. Keep an eye out for episode #37 of the Mom to MORE® podcast where Sharon is joined by Lisa Johnson, co-founder of Been There Got Out, a high conflict...
info_outline
Taking Her Power Pause: A Conversation with Neha Ruch
Mom To MORE
In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Neha Ruch, a visionary redefining the narrative around motherhood, ambition, and career. Neha is the founder of Mother Untitled, a platform empowering ambitious women who choose to pause or downshift their careers for family life. A Stanford MBA and former brand strategist, she launched Mother Untitled in 2017 to dignify the caregiving years and reframe career breaks. Her debut book, The Power Pause, is already making waves for its empowering take on modern motherhood and identity. Tune in as Sharon and Neha unpack the stereotypes...
info_outline
Comedy in the Crossfire: The Grit and Wit of Jennifer Rawlings
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...
info_outline
Raising Kind Kids: Inspiring Families to Give Back with Natalie Silverstein
Mom To MORE
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...
info_outline
Morphing Into Your Next Chapter with Morphmom’s Kathleen Smith
Mom To MORE
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...
info_outlineIn this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Neha Ruch, a visionary redefining the narrative around motherhood, ambition, and career.
Neha is the founder of Mother Untitled, a platform empowering ambitious women who choose to pause or downshift their careers for family life. A Stanford MBA and former brand strategist, she launched Mother Untitled in 2017 to dignify the caregiving years and reframe career breaks. Her debut book, The Power Pause, is already making waves for its empowering take on modern motherhood and identity.
Tune in as Sharon and Neha unpack the stereotypes around stay-at-home motherhood, the undervalued skills it builds, and how women can use this time as a powerful launchpad for what’s next.
[00:00] Introduction
[03:06] Why Neha paused her career despite having her “dream job”
[05:30] Discovering identity, belonging, and purpose in early motherhood
[06:36] Dealing with pushback from others
[08:27] The skill-building power of caregiving
[11:30] COVID’s role in validating the “power pause”
[15:25] Letting go of outdated motherhood narratives
[18:45] Redefining success and writing your own script
[22:06] Creating a confident response to “What do you do?”
[32:45] How to turn your pause into a foundation for reinvention
Meet My Guest Neha Ruch:
Website: motheruntitled.com
Instagram: @motheruntitled
Find The Power Pause here: https://go.sylikes.com/eYxcL44QOZPd
Looking for More? Follow @momtomore on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. @Sharon Macey on LinkedIn.
Keep an eye out for episode #36 of the Mom to MORE® podcast where Sharon is joined by Lisa Johnson, co-founder of Been There Got Out, a high conflict divorce strategist and certified domestic violence advocate. Coming soon - you won’t want to miss it ♥