The Shameless Mom Academy: Motherhood, Motivation, and Mindset Tips for Busy Moms Sara Dean

Kristi Coulter is the author of the acclaimed memoirs Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career and Nothing Good Can Come From This, and a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, New York Magazine/The Cut, Elle, Glamour, DAME, Big Technology, and elsewhere. She has been a guest and commentator for media outlets ranging from Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway's Pivot podcast to the Evercore Investor Forum to NPR's Live Wire Radio. Coulter has taught creative writing at the University of Washington, University of Michigan, and Hugo House. She lives in Seattle and Los Angeles.
EXIT INTERVIEW tells the story of Kristi’s twelve-year career at Amazon, where she held numerous leadership roles in an obsessively driven, punishing work culture that was particularly unfriendly to women (though not exactly great for men, either!). Her experience included thrills and exhilarating achievements along with alcohol abuse, burnout, and disillusionment. Ultimately, Kristi recognized that for her ambition to live and thrive, she would need to leave the alpha-male rigidity of Big Tech. Her story is incredible. I could not put this book down!  

Listen in to hear Kristi share:

Her deeply thoughtful and personal story of professional endurance within the “alpha-male rigidity of Big Tech”

The significance of unconscious sexism in the workplace and the impact on men and women

Her nerves around the publication of the book and what her co-workers and fellow Amazonians might think

How her ambition didn’t die when she left Amazon, but it outgrew Amazon and corporate spaces

The messaging she received around success as a Gen Xer and how she sees this shifting for younger generations

How she had to overcome people pleasing to write honestly and ethically about other people who may feel called out when reading book

What burnout looked like and how easy it was to not see it or acknowledge it

How her gray area drinking impacted her career at Amazon


Links mentioned:

Connect with Kristi: www.kristicoulter.com


Book: Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career


Book: Nothing Good Can Come From This


Kristi on IG

Kristi on LinkedIn


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I am often asked, "Sara, how do I discover my passion?" It's a question typically accompanied by a sense of frustration over not having found it yet.
We're often led to believe that unless we're wholly devoted to something we're passionate about, we're squandering our time and talents. However, I propose that it's sometimes acceptable to engage in pursuits that don't ignite our passion entirely, especially if they offer security and stability—like a steady paycheck and benefits.
Of course, pursuing meaningful work that resonates with our passions and provides a sense of purpose is undeniably appealing. Additionally, the world eagerly awaits the gifts you have to offer, so withholding them would be a disservice.
So, how do you discern when to pursue your passions? How do you identify the endeavor you want to pursue passionately? And when is the right moment to pivot or make a strategic shift?
For 20+ years, I've dedicated considerable effort to building businesses centered around work that deeply resonates with me—work that fills me with purpose. However, there have also been times, even seasons, when I've found myself in less-than-thrilling situations as I strategically plotted my next move. In this episode, I'll recount a few examples to illustrate what this process looks like in reality.
Whether you're contemplating a pivot or shift right now or crafting a five-year plan toward your purpose, I've got you covered. This episode will give you great insight.

Link mentioned:
Interested in Business Coaching with Sara? Email us at info@shamelessmom.com with the subject line: Business Coaching and we will send you details on Sara’s 6 month One-on-One Business & Coaching Package! 

We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
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Katie Krimitsos is the creator of the Women’s Meditation Network, a collection of 20 guided meditation podcasts that help listeners feel calmer, sleep easier, release anxiety, and consciously create their lives. Her meditations have been listened to over 140 million times by women all around the world. She’s a writer at heart, has a soft spot for animals, adores her Greek hubby, loves a good margarita, and treasures the job of raising her two girls.
Katie has become a dear friend as we have navigated podcasting and entrepreneurship together. She has been a guest on the SMA multiple times. Our conversations are always fire and magic. We were video messaging back and forth recently about our childhoods and parenting and it got deep fast. After a bit, we both said, “We really should record this conversation!” So, here it is…  

Listen in to hear Katie share:

The red flags that alert you to the fact that you're disconnected from your sense of self

Why it can be so difficult to answer the question, “What do I want?”

How we are personally and professionally impacted by what our parents modeled throughout our childhood

The power of recognizing what was missing from your childhood - even if your childhood was really great

How to unpack your childhood a bit to acknowledge what you might need to release

Easily accessible tools that can help you begin to listen inward

Permission to not know what you want and how to start connecting to what you want


Links mentioned:

Find all of Katie’s Meditation Podcasts on Apple Podcasts:  Womens Meditation Network 

Connect with Katie or WMN resources: womensmeditationnetwork.com


Meditation for Moms: I See You, Mama with Sara Dean



We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
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Women often find themselves grappling with a complex and sometimes sticky relationship with self-trust. From a young age, we are subtly conditioned to doubt our own instincts and inner knowing. This societal conditioning seeps into our subconscious, creating a disconnect from our innate self-trust and inner knowing that persists throughout our lives.
The erosion of self-trust often sets off a cascade of detrimental effects on our well-being. We find ourselves trapped in internal feedback loops that echo with damaging self-talk:
“I’m not good enough.”
“I’m not worthy of success or love.”
“I must not be trying hard enough.”
"Everyone else seems to have it all figured out, why can't I?"
“No one really cares about what I think or feel.”
These thoughts become our default narrative, undermining our confidence and distorting our perceptions of reality. The cycle perpetuates, reinforcing the belief that we are inherently flawed or inadequate.
Do any of these sentiments resonate with you?
In this episode, I aim to guide you through a common dysfunctional feedback loop, shedding light on its mechanisms and implications. Then I will walk you through a more healthy and productive feedback loop—one rooted in self-compassion, empowerment, and trust.
My hope is that by unraveling the patterns of self-doubt and negative social narratives, you can begin to reclaim your inherent self-trust and rewrite the script of your self-narrative, allowing you to embrace your worthiness and reshape the way you perceive yourself and your capabilities.

Link mentioned:
SMA Ep 391: Why Moms Lack Self-Trust https://shamelessmom.com/episode/why-moms-lack-self-trust/


We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com


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As a busy mom, time becomes your most precious resource, but it often feels like there's never enough. Effective time management is crucial for achieving your goals and avoiding the overwhelm that comes with motherhood.
There are some simple strategies that you can put in place immediately to help you protect your time and energy. Additionally, I want to provide you with some mindset resets around time management that will help you see time and how you use it in new ways.  
In this episode, we'll explore practical strategies to help you reclaim your time and find a sense of balance amidst the chaos of family life. From reevaluating your schedule to embracing the concept of unscheduling, you'll discover how to create more mental space and carve out time for self-care and pursuing your dreams.
By gaining a few new time management skills, you'll build the confidence you need to make the most of your time and create a life that aligns with your priorities. Whether you're craving more time for yourself, more quality time with your family, or wanting to pursue a big goal, this episode offers actionable tips to help you navigate the challenges of being a busy mom while still making room for what truly matters.
Links mentioned:

SMA Ep 105: 7 Secrets To Slow Down & Simplify 


SMA Ep 397: 4 Time Management Mindset Shifts For Moms



We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
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The title of this episode might have some of you judging me. I get it. Before you judge, hear me out… 
A few years ago, I listened to the book FINISH by Jon Acuff. Then, I read the hard copy. Then, I chose the book for the book club inside our SMA membership community. I loved (and still love) this book. The book is all about how to finish the things you start. One of Jon’s tools in finishing your top priority goals or action items is to simultaneously “choose what to bomb”. Sometimes, if you need to get the big, important things done you have to let yourself completely fail in other areas. 
 As I find myself in this season of working full time while, navigating month 11 of my husband’s unemployment, being a grad school student, and intense parenting (friends… nobody warned me about 11!), I’m having to choose to bomb some things. And, being a social butterfly is one of them. I am saying no to things I really want to do with people I really want to spend time with because this is the only way to protect my time and sanity. It’s hard to set and hold these boundaries, but it’s really necessary in this season of life.  
In this episode, I talk through how to choose what to bomb when life is a lot and something’s got to give. I also talk you through how to bomb things in a way that doesn’t make you feel like you’re being a horrible person. I know the truth is that I’m a very good friend - even if I’m not the greatest friend right now. I’m guessing the same is true for you. 
Link mentioned:
Book: FINISH by Jon Acuff
We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://shamelessmom.com/sponsor
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
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