Roots & Realities: Stories of Motherhood & Marketing

Fiddle Leaf Marketing | Emma Huschka
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Marketing

Welcome to Roots & Realities, the podcast where motherhood meets marketing and nothing is off the table. Hosted by Emma Huschka, founder of Fiddle Leaf Marketing and mom of two, this show dives into the messy, meaningful middle of growing a business and raising a family. Each episode, Emma chats with real women, from stay-at-home moms to full-time founders, about the challenges, wins, and wild stories that come with building brands and bedtime routines. Expect honest conversations, zero judgment, and a whole lot of "me too" moments. Whether you're scaling a business, folding laundry, or both at the same time, you’re in good company here.

Episodes

  1. Aug 11

    Running on Empty: Understanding Mom Burnout with Kelsey Whittaker

    If you've ever wondered why you're exhausted in a way that sleep doesn't fix, this episode is for you. Emma sits down with Kelsey Whittaker, founder of Lionheart Health Coaching, a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) and Certified Functional Nutritionist who helps women build sustainable habits that actually fit their real lives. Together they unpack the mental load, that invisible, always-running to-do list moms carry, and what it's quietly doing to women's bodies. Kelsey shares her framework of "energy deposits and withdrawals" for identifying what's draining you versus what fills you back up, and the mindset shifts that help women trade guilt and overwhelm for self-compassion. Kelsey's path to this work is deeply personal. After 13 years as a senior marketing leader, the sudden loss of her brother pushed her to rethink the legacy she was building, and Lionheart, named in his honor, was born. In this episode: What the mental load actually is, and the physical signs it's catching up with youThe earliest red flags that you're running on empty (even when you think you're fine)Where to spend your energy if you only have ten minutes a day for your healthOne habit Kelsey would tell every mom to stop doing Connect with Kelsey: Website: https://www.lionheart-health-coaching.com Instagram: @lionheart_health_coaching LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lionheart-health-coaching/

    Running on Empty: Understanding Mom Burnout with Kelsey Whittaker

  2. Aug 4

    Proving Them Wrong Quietly: Single Motherhood, Career Growth, and Betting on Yourself

    Kristin Johnson was born in a small Indiana town to an 18-year-old mom, the kind of beginning where nobody expects much from you. At 21, she became a single mom herself. What followed were years of surviving, barely getting by, and quietly holding onto business dreams she refused to let go of. In this episode, Kristin shares how she climbed the ranks in hospitality without a college degree, eventually leading fine dining locations and consulting on the side, until COVID shut it all down and a cancer scare with her son changed everything about how she thought about work, life, and what actually matters. From there: a pivot into SaaS project management, a layoff that stung, and an unexpected landing as Executive Director of a national scientific medical research association. And through all of it, the entrepreneurial dream never died. This year, it finally took root, twice. Kristin is the founder of Yorn Studio, a consultancy teaching creatives and makers the business skills art school never covered, and Made by Meridian, a line of analog thinking tools for high-functioning women in leadership, with its first product, the Meridian Planner, launching later this year. We talk about young motherhood, building a career your own way, the ventures that didn't work before the ones that did, and why your timeline doesn't have to look like anyone else's. Connect with Kristin: Yorn Studio: https://yornstudio.com/ Meridian Planner: https://www.meridianbound.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yornstudio/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kljohnson014/

    Proving Them Wrong Quietly: Single Motherhood, Career Growth, and Betting on Yourself

  3. Jul 15

    Redefining Ambition: Leading, Parenting, and Letting Go

    What happens to ambition when the old definition stops fitting? In this episode, Emma sits down with Lauren Winter, Head of Operations, Advertising at Vox Media, for the kind of conversation that doesn't require any explaining, the kind where two women who get it can finally say the quiet parts out loud. Lauren leads a large operations org, is raising three kids, and has lived through the version of working motherhood that never makes it onto LinkedIn. Together they get into the mental load women carry while still performing at the top of their game, what burnout has actually looked like up close, and the identity shifts nobody warns you about. Lauren opens up about how becoming a mom of three reshaped what ambition means to her, how her definition of success has changed, and the routines, boundaries, and hard letting-gos that are helping her thrive in this season, not the highlight-reel version, the real one. If you've ever held it all together on the outside while quietly wondering how much longer you can keep it up, this one's for you.

    Redefining Ambition: Leading, Parenting, and Letting Go

  4. Jun 4

    Behind the Brand: Emily Brown on Building Maren Made

    Emily Brown started Maren Made at 16 during COVID, out of her basement closet, packing orders between classes. She grew it into a brand with over 20,000 customers and a flagship at Keystone Fashion Mall, all while finishing her degree at Purdue. In this episode, we get into the real story behind the brand: the unglamorous beginning, the marketing that actually worked, why community has been the real engine, and what it takes to build something while you're still figuring out who you are. We also talk about the decision to open a physical location, balancing Maren Made with school and her role at Profile, and the lessons she learned the hard way. Find Emily + Maren Made: www.marenmade.com @marenmade

    Behind the Brand: Emily Brown on Building Maren Made

  5. Feb 19

    Showing Up Online Without Burning Out

    In this episode of Roots & Realities, Emma sits down with Leanne Miller to talk about what it really takes to show up online consistently without letting your business take over your life. Leanne shares her journey from photography and nonprofit media work to building a content strategy business that supports women-led brands in showing up with clarity and confidence. Together, they unpack the tension between storytelling and selling, the pressure founders feel to be everywhere at once, and how motherhood reshapes both ambition and success. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply relatable for any woman building something meaningful while raising a family. In this episode, you’ll hear about: How Leanne built content pillars that feel sustainable, not overwhelmingThe most common mistake founders make with social mediaWhere to focus if you only have 30 minutes a weekBalancing entrepreneurship with motherhood in real lifeBoundaries, burnout, and redefining success as your seasons changeThis episode is for the founder who wants growth that feels aligned, content that feels authentic, and a business that supports her life instead of consuming it. Connect with Leanne Website: www.leannemillermedia.com Instagram: @leannemillermedia If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow mom or business owner and leave a review to help more women find Roots & Realities. 💛

    Showing Up Online Without Burning Out

  6. 10/03/2025

    Author, Lauren Boss, Of All The Girls I Was Before

    In this episode, I chat with Lauren Boss, author of All the Girls I Was Before, about identity, motherhood, and redefining success. We cover the versions of ourselves we grow through, the shifts that come with becoming a mom, and what it takes to claim success on your own terms. Lauren shares encouragement for women who feel stuck in a version of themselves that doesn’t fit anymore. 📖 Get your copy of All The Girls I Was Before 📲 Follow Lauren on Instagram

    Author, Lauren Boss, Of All The Girls I Was Before

  7. 10/01/2025

    When Motherhood Is The Full-Time Job

    In this episode of Roots & Realities, I sit down with one of my best friends, Miranda Lehmann, a stay-at-home mom of four boys, to talk honestly about what life at home really looks like. We dig into the decision to step away from teaching and step fully into motherhood, the wins that make it all worth it, and the challenges that don’t always get talked about out loud. From the daily chaos to the quiet moments of joy, Miranda shares the real of day-to-day mom life. We also explore the impact and strength of both stay-at-home moms and working moms, releasing expectations, facing down mom guilt, and the importance of finding your community. This is a heart-to-heart conversation about the hardest job in the world and the women who show up for it every single day.

    When Motherhood Is The Full-Time Job

  8. 06/06/2025

    Marketers Marketing Marketers: Why Even the Pros Struggle to Market Themselves

    In this episode, Emma from Fiddle Leaf Marketing teams up with Dani from Mise En Plan to get real about something most business owners (and yes, even marketers) don’t talk about enough: how hard it is to market your own business. Whether you’re a small business owner, a fellow marketer, or someone just trying to figure out why your marketing efforts feel stuck—this conversation is for you. We’re sharing the honest truth behind why the strategies we use for our clients often feel harder to apply to ourselves, the foundational work that needs to happen before you run ads, and the kind of support that makes a real difference at each stage of business growth. You’ll learn: Why clear messaging is everything—and why it’s so hard to write your own The difference between being ready for ads vs. hoping ads will fix things How coaching and paid strategy work together to move your business forward And why it’s totally normal to feel stuck, even when you know what you should be doing This one’s part pep talk, part practical guide—and a reminder that you don’t have to do it alone.👉 Learn more about Dani’s 1:1 coaching and foundational support, schedule a free consultation: https://www.miseenplan.com/ https://www.instagram.com/miseenplan/ 🎯 Ready to explore paid ads, book a free strategy session with Emma: https://www.fiddleleafmarketing.com/ https://www.instagram.com/fiddleleafmarketing/

    Marketers Marketing Marketers: Why Even the Pros Struggle to Market Themselves

  9. 05/09/2025

    Beyond the Baby Bonus, What Moms Actually Need

    In this episode, we unpack the Trump administration’s proposed $5,000 baby bonus—and why cash alone isn’t the support new moms really need. Joined by Hilary Ogro Plante, Certified Birth Coach & Doula, Momentum Birth Coaching,, we dive into the realities of motherhood, the systemic gaps in support for women, and how individuals, communities, and businesses can do better. Whether you're a parent, an employer, or just someone who cares, this is a conversation worth hearing. @momentumbirthcoaching Resources: Postpartum Support International 988 Crisis Lifeline Nurse Family Partnership

    Beyond the Baby Bonus, What Moms Actually Need

  10. 03/02/2025

    International Women's Day: Women in Business

    Join us for the inaugural episode celebrating Fiddle Leaf Marketing’s 1-year anniversary and International Women’s Day! We’ve brought together an incredible panel of women business owners to discuss the highs, challenges, and realities of entrepreneurship. From marketing and retail to wellness and coaching, these women share their experiences, insights, and advice on building and growing a business today. Panelists: Emma Huschka – Founder & CEO, Fiddle Leaf Marketingwww.fiddleleafmarketing.comEmily Arbour – Owner, Cheerfully MadeSarah Biggs – COO, Cheerfully Madewww.cheerfullymade.comMegan Munro – Owner, Caribou Giftswww.caribougifts.caMichelle Macgillivray – Co-Founder, Blondie Apparelwww.blondieapparel.comHilary Ogro Plante – Founder, Momentum Birth Coachingwww.momentumbirth.comCasey Telleria – Founder, Rose Bud Speech Therapywww.rosebudspeech.comKrystin Wood – Co-Owner & Director of Operations, Mahogany Salon and Spa & Mahogany Medical Aesthetic Clinicwww.mahoganysalonandspa.comwww.mahoganymac.comWhether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or just love hearing stories of resilience and success, this episode is packed with inspiration. Tune in and celebrate with us!

  • 10 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to Roots & Realities, the podcast where motherhood meets marketing and nothing is off the table. Hosted by Emma Huschka, founder of Fiddle Leaf Marketing and mom of two, this show dives into the messy, meaningful middle of growing a business and raising a family. Each episode, Emma chats with real women, from stay-at-home moms to full-time founders, about the challenges, wins, and wild stories that come with building brands and bedtime routines. Expect honest conversations, zero judgment, and a whole lot of "me too" moments. Whether you're scaling a business, folding laundry, or both at the same time, you’re in good company here.

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