Name:
đź“Ť Chattanooga TN, USA
I help protective parents survive divorce & custody court. I also coach clients to heal from toxic relational stress, and create online courses for post-trauma recovery. When I'm not working with clients, you can find me curled up with a fuzzy blanket reading a Kyla Stone novel, or out hiking trails with my kids.
What moment or experience inspired you to start your business? What was your vision at the beginning?
As a protective parent, I went through a brutal custody battle lasting nearly a decade, starting out with little to no strategic support. The family court system was a navigational nightmare, I didn't know what the next right step should be, and definitely couldn't afford to pay my attorney to explain every little detail. It was a vertical learning curve with the safety of my kids at stake. I decided then, that someday I would help other parents like me, so that no one else had to feel so isolated and alone in this process!
What does a typical day for you look like?
I wake up early, a couple hours before my kids, and max out the quiet time. I'll take a quick walk, make a cup of coffee, and knock out whatever work needs the most intense focus before my day explodes into mom-duties.
Our family is autistic and has extra medical needs, so there's almost always a doc or therapy appointment on the calendar. I work from my phone while juggling #allthethings, and then loop back around to my laptop in the late afternoon for some "bubble time" (that's when nobody is allowed to pop mom's focus bubble!)
We spend the evening together chatting and catching up, and then I usually check my emails and socials again just before bed. When I became a solo parent, I decided that my top priority was staying available to my kids, so as chaotic as it may sound... I've learned to make it work!
What unique routines or habits do you believe contribute to your success?
Bluelight-blocking glasses, near-infrared light, and white noise! I swear by all three... When you spend as much time as I do in front of a screen, you've gotta give your eyes a break.
Every night, I flip off all the lights, put all the electronics away, and turn on my near-infrared light panel and read a book in the red glow. It calms my brain and makes a massive impact on sleep quality.
What's your workstation setup?
You know how websites work best with a ton of white space? That's how my brain needs my workstation to be. Uncluttered, soothing, and lots of natural light. I keep hydration at my desk, too—usually a huge bottle of water with electrolytes, or a sparkling kombucha. While working, I keep a fan on for white noise *all the time*. This blocks out the little ambient interruptions from kids, pets, and whatever else... protecting my mental focus.
Where do you go to look for inspiration?
There's this fabulous coffee shop nearby, with the perfect ambience for sparking creative magic. Also, it's owned by another solo mom, and I love supporting local small business!
What core values drive your business, and how have they shaped your path?
Integration. When the external messaging and the internal reality are both aligned, that's integration at work. It's always always better to take responsibility and truthfully own up to a mistake, than to cover it up. This core value builds trust and connection with your biz team and your customers/clients, and keeps them coming back.
What part of your business are you most proud of?
I'm super freaking proud of our TraumaMAMAs mobile app! It provides crisis resources for people experiencing domestic harm, and includes local support contact info for more than 200 global regions! It also includes a free course on how to recognize the red flags of relational abuse, and it's been downloaded in 40+ countries around the world!
What’s a challenge you’re currently working on in your business?
We're branching out to a new audience with the ultimate goal of automating our business more, so we can have more family flex time. It takes a lot of upfront energy, but we think it's worth it!
What music do you listen to while working?
You'll laugh... but I have two vastly different tracks for focus. One is not even music at all, it's this Sleep Sounds app with a track called Scottish River. It's literally just the water running from this one river in Scotland. I mix it with brown noise and voila! we have focus!
Other days though, I need something upbeat. I'll put Sia or Cascada in my headphones, and blast just one track over and over to get into a flow.
What’s one piece of advice someone gave you that you’ll never forget?
Ignore everything they say, keep track of everything they do. When words and actions don't align, it's the actions that reveal their true character.
Any advice for ambitious professionals in your field?
Focus on what truly resonates with you and your experiences. Authenticity is key.
