Ep65: The Power of Being Seen & The Spiral Path with Amy Simpkins

I’m excited to share this episode of the Mother’s Quest Podcast with someone I deeply admire and whose recent book “Spiral: A Catalyst for Innovation and Expansion” was a revelation to me... speaker, author, thought leader, homeschooling mother, and CEO of the renewable energy start-up muGrid Analytics, Amy Simpkins.

Before a self-described identity crisis brought her to the work she’s doing today, Amy was quite literally on the path to becoming an astronaut. After pursuing a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and a masters in Astronautical Engineering from USC, she began a 10-year tenure as an aspiring Spacecraft Systems Architect designing, integrating, and operating spacecraft at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. How she determined she no longer wanted to become an astronaut and the power of being truly seen by someone else, which led to her becoming a coach, are just a few of the topics we explore during our conversation. 

I first came to know Amy when I was facilitating a virtual “Power Circle” for the organization Emerging Women and Amy was a participant. Right away, I knew she was someone special, as she brought the insight of an engineer’s brain, a poet’s heart, and an alchemist’s life journey to every session. 

Using her unique gifts, Amy lights the way for so many of us with how she explains and embodies the iterative spiral path to life, motherhood, and entrepreneurship. And in this conversation, as we explored her wisdom and lessons learned along all the E.P.I.C. guideposts, it felt like we revealed together the creative genius, a quality she most admired in her mother, that is also inside of her. 

I left feeling more at ease than when I arrived, noticing the places and ways that I can bring more integration and awareness about the spiral processes in my life, and committed to making space, as Amy challenged me to do, to put down my phone, and sit in the pause and exploration of a question in my life, rather than rushing to a solution. 

I invite you to do the same right now...to push pause, really listen to this conversation, and create space for integration, curiosity, iteration, and creativity in your E.P.I.C. life.

Much appreciation,

P.S. Know someone who would love this conversation? Click forward now to pay this forward to a friend who may be interested.

This Episode is Dedicated by: Olivia Parr-Rud

Olivia pioneered the research in Predictive Analytics and Business Intelligence that led to the writing of her first book, Data Mining Cookbook, Modeling for Acquisition, Risk and Customer Relationship Management (Wiley 2001). Her passion for finding successful solutions for her clients inspired her research on leadership and corporate culture and the unveiling of the link between advances in technology and the increasing need for human and organizational development. Her findings are detailed in her second book, Business Intelligence Success Factors, Aligning for Success in a Global Economy (Wiley/SAS, 2009).

In addition to public speaking, Olivia offers training and consulting in both predictive analytics and innovative leadership. Her clients include Cisco, Citizen’s Bank, Clorox, HP, IBM, Xerox, Providian Insurance, Wells Fargo, Fleet Bank, Advanta, Nationwide, and SAS.

Olivia has a BA in Mathematics and an MS in Decision and Information Systems, with a concentration in Statistics. She is a certified Holacracy™ Practitioner. Holacracy™ is a set of structures and practices designed to build organizational adaptability and resilience.

• My Big ‘Why’ https://tinyurl.com/LOVENEWCOMPETITIVEEDGE

• LOVE@WORK: The Essential Guide to a Life of Inspired Purpose - A Silver Nautilus Book Award Winner

• LOVE@WORK Method: Practices and Tools for Stepping In Your Life of Inspired Purpose

Radio Show: Quantum Business Insights – Emerging Perspectives on People, Process, & Profits

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In This Episode We Talk About:

• The creative genius Amy admired in her mother

• Amy’s career quest to become an astronaut

• The spark moments that led Amy to move through an identity crisis and discover a new path 

• The power of truly being seen 

• Amy’s approach to homeschooling, exemplified by what happened when they ran over a snake in their driveway 

• Empowering your children to be decision-makers for themselves

• Doughnut Economics and Noblesse Oblige

• Amy and her husband’s work in renewable energy and how they are changing the world

• The importance of projects and making things real 

• What is a sensory deprivation or “float tank” and why Amy loves it 

• Iterative, Spiral Development and its phases, which map to natural cycles

• Putting your phone down to be more present and the power of staying in inquiry

• A favorite passage of mine in Amy’s book which illustrates how “integration” creates a unique ecosystem in our lives

Mentioned from this Episode:

• Spiral: A Catalyst for Innovation and Expansion 

• Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth

• Ep 63: A Maker’s Journey to a Good Life with Jonathan Fields

• Emerging Women’s Power Circles Program

This Week’s Challenge: 

For this week’s challenge, Amy challenges us to invite more space and exploration for something that we are trying to find the solution for. She encourages us to put down our phones, invite in some meditation and mystery, and allow ourselves to be in a state of pause before rushing to resolution. Amy also shared about a float therapy tank experience she has done to quiet her mind and I decided to say “yes” to trying this as well. I’ve identified one to test out not far from my house and think this may be a great way to welcome in some pause.

Learn More About Amy:

Amy Simpkins is the speaker, author, facilitator, and thought leader in innovation for technology, entrepreneurs, and everybody.  She believes that innovation is for everyone and holds the key to both personal fulfillment and lasting global change.

As an MIT-trained engineer, she spent 15 years as a spacecraft systems architect, someone who is responsible for holding the big picture vision for complex space exploration missions, ensuring that all components of the vision were well-integrated into a cohesive whole, and implementing that vision with flexibility and adaptability. She then takes those proven design methodologies and big-picture mindset, infuse them with a heaping side of intuition and soul, and put it all to work to help individuals and organizations bring innovative ideas into reality so they can change the world with their unique magic.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Master of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering from the University of Southern California. She has designed, integrated, and flown spacecraft with Lockheed Martin, and she's also the CEO of the hot renewable energy startup, muGrid Analytics. 

She lives with her amazing entrepreneurial husband and three rambunctious children in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains outside Denver, Colorado.  She's a messy chef, a world traveler, a taekwondo green belt, a vocal music minor, a homeschool mom, and a tough cookie in the Colorado backcountry.

Check out Amy's amazing book here.

Connect with Amy:

• [email protected]
• Amy Simpkins | Innovation Catalyst
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook

Announcements:

Want More Reflection in Your Life?
Book A Discovery Call

Some key themes that emerge from this conversation with Amy Simpkins, is the power of reflection and the power of being seen. These are elements that I bring, not only to every podcast interview, but to my one-one-one coaching and Mother’s Quest Circle facilitation. If you’re seeking more space for pause and reflection in your life, I encourage you to reach out to me for a discovery call to learn how we might work together.  Visit mothersquest.as.me/discoverysession to schedule a time to talk. 

Click here to book a discovery call 

One Minute Mom Manifesto

⚡️Have you been feeling a nudge to say "yes" to create your Mother's Quest Manifesto? The official challenge and giveaway may be over, but the invitation and content is always there for you to create your #oneminutemommanifesto 

Here are some easy steps you can follow...

👉 Join the Mother's Quest Facebook Group www.mothersquest.com/community to find the "unit" for the Manifesto Challenge's reflective prompts and live videos. It's all waiting for you!

👉 Follow along with the "unit" at your own pace. Share your reflections along the way in the comments. Let us cheer you on!

👉 Give yourself some quiet time to create your own #oneminutemommanifesto in whatever way feels good...writing, art, photos, song. It can be simple and quick. Don't overthink it. What matters most, as a guiding light, for how you want to live your life at this stage of raising your children?

👉 Share your #oneminutemommanifesto on social media with the hashtag. Tag me if you can to make sure I've seen it. Consider nominating a friend who would benefit.

--Join us, share or tag a friend, or comment on how the #oneminutemommanifesto has helped you if you've already created yours.--

Would LOVE for more of you to join us in claiming, or reclaiming, HOW you want to live your life ✨🙌

Did you catch the Father's Day Special?

Listen to these two amazing fathers who were on the show here:

• Ep 63: A Maker’s Journey to a Good Life with Jonathan Fields
• Ep 64: Fatherhood, Forgiveness and Redemption with Poet Will Little

Acknowledgments:

A big THANK YOU to our “patrons” for helping to bring these conversations to myself and other mothers through financial and/or in-kind support:

Olivia Parr-Rud
"Vince" of the While Black Podcast
Sara Brannin-Mooser

Lindsay Pera
Julie Castro Abrams
Alexia Vernon
Brooke Markevicius
Democracy Clothing
Michael Skolnik
Helgi Maki
Kari Azuma
Tamara Sobomehin
Katie Krimitsos
Carrie Caulfield Arick
Rachel Rosen
Chandra Brooks
Jen Simon
Monisha Vasa
Celia Ward-Wallace
Vanessa Couto
Desiree Adaway
Rachel Steinman
Katie Hanus
Denise Barreto 
Sage B. Hobbs 
Samantha Nolan-Smith
Jody Smith
Emily Cretella
Collette Flanagan
Titilayo Tinubu Ali 
Carly Magnus Hurt
Lizzy Russinko 
Suzanne Brown
Mara Berns Langer
Mallory Schlabach 
Katharine Earhart
Jessica Kupferman
Jen Jenkins Dohner
Genese Harris
Tonya Rineer
Liane Louie-Badua
Cristin Downs 
Erin Kendall 
Niko Osoteo 
Erik Newton 
Claire Fry
Divya Silbermann
Rachel Winter
Caren and Debbie Lieberman
Cameron Miranda
Fran and David Lieberman
Debbie and Alan Goore
The Sustainable Living Podcast

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If you’d like to make a contribution to Mother’s Quest to support Season Three of the Podcast and/or help provide coaching scholarships for mothers, follow this link to make a contribution.

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Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.

Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).

Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/