Mama, What’s Next? Visibility, Business & Reinvention for Female Founders Building Differently

Melanie Elsbeth | Brand Visibility for Female Founders
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"Mama, What's Next?" celebrates a world where the way mom founders build businesses isn't a compromise. It's the competitive advantage. For women who are rebuilding, reinventing, or expanding - through business, freelance, or portfolio careers - and need to become visible to do it. We interview female founders who turn the 'Motherhood Advantage' into sustainable, service‑based businesses - redefining career success without performing or hustle - and growth and visibility through quiet, non-performative marketing. Mel Elsbeth talks to mom entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and women redesigning work and business around their actual lives. Often our conversations sit at the intersection of women building meaningful work through portfolio careers, freelance businesses, or founder paths after a major life transition. These are honest conversations about what it actually takes to transition from 9 to 5 or corporate, position yourself strategically, and build a business that respects your capacity as a mother. Stop asking for permission, write your own playbook. Your Way Works (Even if it doesn’t look like everyone else’s). New episodes drop weekly for working mothers building differently. Subscribe so you don't miss the playbooks we share!

  1. Alleinerziehend, Youtube Storyteller 400k, Gründerin einer Schule in Uganda - wie geht das denn bitte? / mit Katja Wolf Peace, Love & Om & Podcasthon

    4D AGO

    Alleinerziehend, Youtube Storyteller 400k, Gründerin einer Schule in Uganda - wie geht das denn bitte? / mit Katja Wolf Peace, Love & Om & Podcasthon

    Diese Episode ist Teil der 4. Edition des Podcasthon. Podcasthon ist die weltweit größte Podcast-Wohltätigkeitsinitiative, die Podcaster*innen auf der ganzen Welt zusammenbringt, um das Bewusstsein für gemeinnützige Zwecke zu stärken. Diese Episode unterstützt den Verein Weltfairbunden. Katja von Peace, Love & Om baut seit acht Jahren einen YouTube-Kanal auf — über Menschen, die anders leben. Im Van, in der Jurte, in der Mongolei, neben Nomaden. Über 400.000 Abonnenten folgen ihr heute. Nicht wegen einer Strategie. Wegen echter Geschichten. Sie kommt aus dem Fernsehen, aus dem Radio, aus der Welt des Klatsch-TV — und hat irgendwann gemerkt: Das bin ich nicht. Also hat sie alles mitgenommen, was ihr genutzt hat, und den Rest losgelassen. Das Handwerkszeug. Die Neugier. Die Kamera. Und dazu eine kleine Tochter im Camper. In dieser Episode sprechen wir darüber, wie Katja als alleinerziehende Mama ein Business aufgebaut hat, das zu ihr passt - ohne sich zu verbiegen, ohne den perfekten Moment abzuwarten. Über Unschooling im Van und warum das nicht für jeden funktioniert. Über YouTube-Monetarisierung und was wirklich dahinter steckt. Und über den Verein Weltverbunden, den sie gegründet hat - weil sie in Uganda eine Schule gesehen hat, die es nicht gab. Was dich in dieser Episode erwartet: Wie Katja als eine der Ersten im deutschsprachigen Raum Vanlife auf YouTube dokumentiert hatWarum YouTube heute viel schwieriger geworden ist — und was wirklich hinter der Monetarisierung stecktWie Schulpflicht und Reisen mit Kind in Deutschland wirklich funktionierenWas sie jeden Morgen und Abend tut, um als selbstständige Mama nicht im Chaos zu versinkenWie aus einer Hühnerstelle in Uganda eine Schule mit 405 Kindern wurde Katja findest du hier: YouTube: Peace, Love & OmInstagram: @peaceloveandomTikTok: @peaceloveandomVerein Weltverbunden: weltverbunden.orgWeltverbunden InstagramBuch: Anders als gewohnt — Coffee-Table-Book über alternative Lebensformen Für 25 Euro im Monat kannst du ein Kind in Uganda mit einer Schulpatenschaft unterstützen — Schuluniform, Bücher, Mahlzeiten und Gesundheitsversorgung inklusive. Diese Episode ist Teil der 4. Edition des Podcasthon. Podcasthon ist die weltweit größte Podcast-Wohltätigkeitsinitiative, die Podcaster*innen auf der ganzen Welt zusammenbringt, um das Bewusstsein für gemeinnützige Zwecke zu stärken. PS - teilweise suboptimale Audio, wir hatten während des Interviews mehrfach Technikprobleme mit dem Online Studio und haben jetzt das beste rausgeholt. Aber so ist das manchmal, genau dann wenn's drauf ankommt, streikt die Technik. Get this and other weekly strategies & playbooks: Join 3,000+ mom entrepreneurs You left corporate to do work that matters? Tell me your story and build trust: work with me and create your Sunny Chapter Edit

    53 min

  2. FEB 18

    The Future-Proof Strategy for Women in Corporate, Strategic Work Design & Futurism, How Women Build Visibility and Portfolio Careers with Nola Simon

    If you got value from this episode - please send it to a friend! Get this and other weekly strategies & playbooks: Join 3,000+ mom entrepreneurs You left corporate to do work that matters? Tell me your story and build trust: work with me and create your Sunny Chapter Edit What if the return-to-office mandate isn't about collaboration at all - but about real estate investments and control? This week, we're exposing the truth about why trust is eroding at work, why women are the first to see through it, and how to build your own flexibility before you're forced to react. Companies are demanding you return to the office while simultaneously talking about AI replacing jobs. The math isn't mathing. In this episode, remote work futurist Nola Simon breaks down what's really happening - and how to position yourself ahead of the curve instead of waiting to be managed out. The future of work isn't coming. It's here. And if you're a woman, a mother, or someone building meaningful work without the performance theatre, this conversation matters. Nola Simon, a future of work strategist and remote work futurist, joins the podcast to talk about what's really driving return-to-office mandates, why trust in leadership is breaking down, and how women—especially caregivers and multi-passionate entrepreneurs—are quietly redesigning work on their terms. This isn't about trends. It's about agency, self-trust, and preparing yourself for what's next without waiting for anyone's permission. In this episode, we chat about the future of work for moms: Why return-to-office mandates are really about commercial real estate (not productivity)How trust erosion between employees and leadership is reshaping the workplaceThe hidden pattern women notice first: values vs. behavior gaps in company cultureWhy portfolio careers and flexibility aren't side hustles—they're strategic safety netsHow to practice "everyday futurism" and prepare for change before you're forced to reactThe critical difference between your job title and your actual skill setWhy the most valuable work (connection, ERGs, community building) is still unpaid—and mostly done by women Don't miss this episode if: You're tired of waiting for work to go "back to normal"You're considering building income streams outside traditional employmentYou're a working mom navigating flexibility, caregiving, and career simultaneouslyYou sense something is off at your company but can't quite name itYou want to future-proof your career without burning out Quick key notes from our interview: Stop waiting for work to go back to normal. Design your own normal. If your job disappeared tomorrow, what would you want your work life to look like? Start moving toward that now.Treat flexibility like a strategy, not a request. Audit your role: which parts truly require you to be in a specific place? Use that clarity to negotiate.Build optionality before you need it. One income stream = one point of failure. Choose one low-pressure way to expand your income and skills this year.Practice everyday futurism. Run scenarios: What if my role changed? What if my company downsized? What skills or income streams would help me feel confident?Trust your pattern recognition—it's a leadership skill. When you notice repeating patterns (disengagement, fear, unclear leadership), use that insight to inform your next move.Separate your identity from your job title. You are more than one role, one company, or one chapter. Your transferable skills travel with you.Build self-trust through small repetitions. Make one decision this month that prioritizes your future self, even if it feels uncomfortable. Connect with my guest: Nola Simon nola@nolasimon.com linkedin.com/in/nolasimon If you have a question or need advice, DM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Loved this episode? Then it would be the greatest gift for me if you subscribe, leave a review, and share this with another amazing mama who’s ready for her next sunny chapter. This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Any information shared here, or through linked materials, is meant to provide general guidance and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified professional, such as a physician, therapist, or coach, for personalized support, diagnoses, or treatment. Use this information at your own discretion and risk. Mentioned in this episode: SunnyChapter Edit

    33 min

  3. FEB 9

    You're hiding. And I was too. But - "Being safe is risky"

    If you got value from this episode - please send it to a friend! Get Anna's and other weekly playbooks: Join 3,000+ mom entrepreneurs Turn your story into influence: work with me I love to start my Sunday mornings with a lie in, morning coffee in hand, piano playlist in the background, candles, reading my book and enjoying the slowness before I start the day. I love doing that on Sundays. I just read the following sentence: “Criticism of the project is not criticism of you. You do not equal the project.” I am reading these lines on page 47 of the book Purple Cow by Seth Godin. I am getting surprisingly emotional. It’s just a small paragraph in a book filled with observations about creative marketing in crowded marketplaces. I am reading… “Being safe is risky”. In the book he points out, that we have been raised with a false belief: that criticism leads to failure. Just think about the school system or the way you grew up in your family. A business that is boring, won’t attract much criticism. It will also not stand out and become highly successful. So, by avoiding negative feedback, by staying safe, I am potentially avoiding success?

    12 min

  4. JAN 27

    The Solopreneur Revolution of 2026: A Working Mother’s Playbook for Fractional Work, Portfolio Careers & Freedom

    If you got value from this episode - please send it to a friend! Get Anna's and other weekly playbooks: Join 3,000+ mom entrepreneurs Turn your story into influence: Apply to work with me It’s Time to take One Step Outside. 2026 is the year of the Solopreneur Revolution - How Women are Designing Work That Loves Them Back The old rules are dying. The 40-hour work week, the corporate ladder, the "lean in" narrative, basically all of it was built for a world that is crumbling. And working mothers in 2026 are done playing a game they can't win. Anna Lundberg spent a decade building a solopreneur business that runs on 20 hours a week, term-time only. She's present for her two kids. And she earns a great living coaching women who are redesigning their own careers around fractional roles, consulting gigs, and portfolio businesses. We're not talking about creating more work-life balance. It's much more about intentional work-life design. It's about understanding that you don't have to blow up your whole life to build something different. You just have to take one step. And Anna breaks down exactly what those steps look like - taking you from positioning yourself in fractional roles to building a business model that doesn't require you to hustle, perform, or prove anything to anyone. The corporate playbook failed working mothers. So we're writing a new one. And it starts here. What You'll LearnWhy the corporate system is broken for mothers—and why tweaking it with flexible Fridays isn't enough anymore What fractional work actually means—and how it's giving women stability plus flexibility without full-time corporate demands The positioning trap senior leaders fall into—why showing "everything you've done" on your resume actually hurts you in freelance and fractional roles How to transition while still employed—practical steps to build optionality before burnout or redundancy forces your hand Anna's real journey—from her "hippie phase" to 5am client calls with a newborn to her current 4-hour workdays The AI advantage for solopreneurs—how technology is finally giving independent workers capabilities that used to require entire teams The Solopreneur Operating System—Anna's framework for designing your business, creating demand, and making delivery sustainable Resources & LinksAnna's Website: onestepoutside.com Solopreneur Operating System: intentionalexpert.com Program: Architect (12-week mentoring for solopreneurs) Podcast: Reimagining Success Books: Outside of the 9 to 5 | Leaving the Corporate 9 to 5 Connect with Anna: LinkedIn: Anna Lundberg

    56 min

  5. JAN 14

    The Clarity Tool I Wish I had Years Ago as a Multipassionate Entrepreneur & Mama

    If you are a multi-passionate mum and entrepreneur, chances are your mind is rarely quiet. Ideas, emotions, plans, to-do lists, responsibilities, and creative sparks all compete for attention at the same time. Creating clarity inside that chaos can feel almost impossible. Especially as a multipassionate creative and mama, there is a never-ending stream of ideas and projects you want to explore. In this episode of Mama What’s Next, Melanie shares a simple daily writing practice that has helped her create calm, focus, and direction as a multi-passionate mum and entrepreneur: Morning Pages, a tool from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. She talks about why this practice feels awkward at first, why consistency matters more than perfection, and how writing by hand helps clear mental clutter, reduce anxiety, and turn scattered energy into focused action. This episode is for multi-passionate mums and women entrepreneurs who feel pulled in many directions and want a grounded way to build a sustainable business without losing themselves in the process. In This Episode, We Talk About:What Morning Pages are and how they workWhy handwriting and stream-of-consciousness writing matterHow Morning Pages reduce anxiety and negative self-talkCreating clarity amid chaos and too many ideasWhy compassion and flexibility are part of the practiceTurning scattered thoughts into focused actionHow Morning Pages support sustainable business growthUsing daily writing to prioritize what truly matters Mentioned in This Episode:The Artist’s Way by Julia CameronMorning Pages (daily stream-of-consciousness writing practice) If you have a question or need advice, DM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Loved this episode? Then it would be the greatest gift for me if you subscribe, leave a review, and share this with another amazing mama who’s ready for her next sunny chapter. This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Any information shared here, or through linked materials, is meant to provide general guidance and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified professional, such as a physician, therapist, or coach, for personalized support, diagnoses, or treatment. Use this information at your own discretion and risk.

    17 min
  6. You Can’t Grow a Business If You’re Always Jumping (Building a sustainable business as a Multi-Passionate Mum)

    JAN 12

    You Can’t Grow a Business If You’re Always Jumping (Building a sustainable business as a Multi-Passionate Mum)

    Building a business as a multi-passionate mum sounds expansive and fun- until it starts holding you back. In this episode of Mama What’s Next, Melanie speaks about the tension between loving many things and needing to stick with one long enough to grow it. She shares the reality of being good at many skills, why niching down doesn’t always work for multi-passionate mums, and how creating a “brand umbrella” can be a more sustainable way to build meaningful work- without hustle, non-performative, or pretending to be someone you’re not. This episode is for working mums and mom entrepreneurs who are tired of jumping from one thing to the next and are ready to make real growth happen. Examples that are referenced- The Long and the Short of It, a podcast by Peter Sheahan and Jen WaldmanMadison | Entrepreneur (@multipassionatemadison)Seth Godin In This Episode, We Talk About: Why jumping between ideas makes sustainable growth impossible The hidden struggle of being multi-passionate and highly capable Why being good at everything can hold your business back Building a business without niching yourself into unhappiness Creating a brand umbrella instead of forcing focus The question every multi-passionate mum needs to ask: what do I want to be known for? Why boredom doesn’t mean you should quit — and when it actually does If you have a question or need advice, DM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Loved this episode? Then it would be the greatest gift for me if you subscribe, leave a review, and share this with another amazing mama who’s ready for her next sunny chapter. This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Any information shared here, or through linked materials, is meant to provide general guidance and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified professional, such as a physician, therapist, or coach, for personalized support, diagnoses, or treatment. Use this information at your own discretion and risk.

    20 min
  7. Is Work-Life Balance a Scam? How Multi-Passionate Working Moms Build Sustainable Businesses Balancing on One Foot

    12/30/2025

    Is Work-Life Balance a Scam? How Multi-Passionate Working Moms Build Sustainable Businesses Balancing on One Foot

    Society gave us work-life balance. We need to give it back. Today I share a little part of my interview I gave on "The Well Nourished Mama" about my journey from multi-passionate marketer to helping mothers navigate career transformations and building meaningful work and businesses. In this honest conversation, I also challenge the myth of work-life balance and talk about a more realistic approach to building sustainable businesses while raising families. Brooke shares her take how she balances from one foot to another. Real Talk What You'll Learn: Why the term "work-life balance" is an unrealistic expectation (and what to focus on instead)How motherhood transforms your priorities as a working mom and what you expect from lifeBuilding a slow, sustainable business as a mom entrepreneur that integrates with family lifeBeing a working mum as an example for your childrenThe power of flexibility and autonomous decision-making as you create a sustainable business Perfect for: Service-based business founders, multi-passionate mothers, anyone navigating career transformation after becoming a mom Keywords: work-life balance myth, building sustainable business, career after motherhood, slow business model, working mother example, business without hustle Originally featured on The Well-Nourished Mama Podcast with Brooke Harmer - Episode 96 - Full interview listen here Find Brooke here www.thewellnourishedmama.com instagram.com/thewellnourishedmama_

    16 min
  8. Founder Storytelling: When Content Creation Works Against Your Natural State

    12/22/2025

    Founder Storytelling: When Content Creation Works Against Your Natural State

    This episode is for: Founders, solopreneurs, soul-driven business owners who know they need content but hate creating it the traditional way. Listen if: You're ready to share your story without forcing yourself to be someone you're not. I've worked in marketing for over 20 years. I've been through countless business coachings and mentorings. And I keep seeing the same thing: founders and solopreneurs struggling with content creation. Not because they lack expertise. Not because they don't know their business inside out. Because they're being forced into a role that goes against their natural energy. This episode is for purpose-driven founders who are tired of the content hamster wheel. If you've tried agencies, freelancers, or forcing yourself on camera and it still feels off—there's a reason. And there's a different way. What We Cover The Content Creation Trap Why Outsourcing Often Fails The Generic Content Problem The AI Slop Reality Your Content Goldmines Why This Way Works :) Ready to Create Content That Actually Sounds Like You? Email me. I love these conversations. And I love promoting people. Always have. Let me help!

    15 min
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About

"Mama, What's Next?" celebrates a world where the way mom founders build businesses isn't a compromise. It's the competitive advantage. For women who are rebuilding, reinventing, or expanding - through business, freelance, or portfolio careers - and need to become visible to do it. We interview female founders who turn the 'Motherhood Advantage' into sustainable, service‑based businesses - redefining career success without performing or hustle - and growth and visibility through quiet, non-performative marketing. Mel Elsbeth talks to mom entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and women redesigning work and business around their actual lives. Often our conversations sit at the intersection of women building meaningful work through portfolio careers, freelance businesses, or founder paths after a major life transition. These are honest conversations about what it actually takes to transition from 9 to 5 or corporate, position yourself strategically, and build a business that respects your capacity as a mother. Stop asking for permission, write your own playbook. Your Way Works (Even if it doesn’t look like everyone else’s). New episodes drop weekly for working mothers building differently. Subscribe so you don't miss the playbooks we share!

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