Milk Money | The Podcast for Moms Building Businesses

Stephanie Lemes
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Entrepreneurship

Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕ Welcome to Milk Money, a podcast for moms who love their kids fiercely AND have dreams, ambitions, identities, and lives of their own. Because motherhood is already a full-time job, but for a lot of us, it isn't the only thing we want to be. Milk Money is where we talk about the part of motherhood that doesn't always make it into the polished Instagram posts: building a business while raising kids, wanting an identity outside of motherhood, navigating mom guilt, protecting your time and energy, and figuring out how to build a life that actually works for the woman living it. Whether you call yourself a mompreneur, mom entrepreneur, working mom, business owner, founder, or just a mom who has a little voice saying there has to be more, we saved you a seat. Meet Your Hostess I'm Stephanie Lemes — mom, wife, business owner, creative, and the woman behind the mic. I started Milk Money because I was searching for the podcast I needed in this season of my life and couldn't find it. There were plenty of business podcasts for women. Plenty of motherhood podcasts. But I wanted the conversations that lived in the messy middle — what happens when you're building a business, raising tiny humans, figuring out who you are, and trying not to lose yourself somewhere along the way. So I decided to create the booth I couldn't find. Milk Money is for the mom who loves being a mom and still wants something that's hers, is building a business between school drop-off, nap time and bedtime, has big dreams but limited time and energy, or simply wants honest conversations about motherhood and entrepreneurship instead of another highlight reel. You don't need a six-figure business. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need to know there's more to your story. Every week, we're pulling up a chair for honest, unfiltered conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, relationships, health, money, and all the messy bits in between. You'll hear from moms building businesses in all kinds of seasons and stages — and hopefully leave each episode feeling a little less alone. Because sometimes the best thing another mom can give you isn't advice. It's proof that you're not the only one. Welcome to the Diner. Picture a retro roadside diner — checkered floors, coffee refills, chrome, cherry-red booths, jukeboxes, and a bell letting everyone know your order is up. Why a diner? Because diners are open 24/7, just like motherhood. There is no clocking out. No true off-shift. So at Milk Money, we're flipping the script: the women doing all the serving finally get to sit down. Pull up a seat. Stay awhile. Pour it all out. We'll talk about the wins, the doubts, the pivots, the guilt, the ambition, the chaos, and the dreams that didn't disappear when you became a mom. Expect guest conversations, solo episodes, listener questions, and eventually a phone line where you can call in, ask a question, vent, or just say the thing you haven't been able to say anywhere else. Because this booth is yours, too. Milk Money: Serving short stacks and big dreams. Welcome in, we saved you a seat.

Episodes

  1. 2h ago

    Guest Check 010: The Season You're In Isn't Forever with Amina Price

    What if the season you're in right now isn't your forever? This week at the Milk Money booth, I'm sitting down with Amina Price, mom of two girls and entrepreneur in the wedding industry, for an honest conversation about the seasons of motherhood, losing yourself in the early days, and finding your way back to the woman you were before you became somebody's mom. Amina opens up about navigating postpartum anxiety during the COVID era, learning that she couldn't do everything alone, and realizing just how much she needed a community of women who understood what she was going through. We talk about the pressure to have it all together, the guilt that can come with being a stay-at-home mom, and why we need to stop measuring our worth by how much we produce. We also get into her idea of a “mom gap year” - a season of intentionally focusing on yourself, reconnecting with the things you love, and remembering that you're a whole person outside of motherhood. Because whether you're staying home, building a business, working a traditional job, or figuring out what comes next, you're allowed to change your mind and move into a new season. And if you're in the thick of it right now, feeling like all you do is feed the baby, change the diaper, and repeat? We have a reminder for you: you're not behind, you're growing, too. Motherhood might not get easier, but we get more resilient. And the season that feels like it'll last forever? It won't. Today's Special In this episode, we're serving up: Why the early seasons of motherhood can feel all-consumingNavigating postpartum anxiety and the added uncertainty of the COVID eraLearning to ask for help when you're used to doing everything yourselfWhy building a community of moms mattersThe pressure to measure your worth by productivityThe guilt that can come with being a stay-at-home momRedefining success in motherhood, business, and lifeWhat Amina means by taking a “mom gap year”Reconnecting with the hobbies, interests, and parts of yourself you missGiving yourself permission to change directions and enter a new seasonWhy motherhood doesn't necessarily get easier — but we become more resilientGiving yourself grace as you grow alongside your childrenOn the Menu This Season Isn't Forever When you're in the thick of a difficult season, it's hard to imagine things changing. We talk about remembering that even the most consuming stages of motherhood are temporary. You Don't Have to Do It Alone Amina shares how becoming a mom challenged her independent, do-it-all-yourself mindset and taught her the value of finding her people. The Mom Gap Year What happens when you intentionally make space to focus on yourself, reconnect with the things you love, and rediscover the person you are outside of motherhood? Mom Guilt & Your Worth Why we sometimes question whether we're doing enough when our work doesn't look like a traditional 9-to-5 — and why caring for your family is valuable work, too. You're Allowed to Change Your Mind Whether you want to build a business, stay home with your kids, take a break, or pursue something completely different, you can honor what you need in each season. You're Growing, Too Your children aren't the only ones learning, changing, and reaching new milestones. You're becoming a mom right alongside them. Meet Our Guest Amina Price is a wife, mom of two girls, and entrepreneur in the wedding industry. Through her business, The Right Vibes Coordination, she works in wedding coordination and marketing. Amina is passionate about recognizing the different seasons of motherhood, finding community, and giving yourself room to grow into the person and mother you're becoming. Connect with Amina: Instagram, TikTok & Facebook: @TRVCoordination Personal Instagram: @aminanoir From the Booth: “Motherhood doesn't get easier. Mothers get more resilient.” Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 010: The Season You're In Isn't Forever with Amina Price

  2. Oct 9

    Guest Check 009: You’re a Stakeholder in Your Own Life with Steph Rubio

    What if the problem isn't that you're bad at balance .. but that you've been building a life around everyone else's needs except your own? This week at the Milk Money booth, I'm sitting down with Steph Rubio, a strategist and business mentor who helps women turn their skills into profitable, sustainable businesses - without buying into all the BS we see online about how entrepreneurship is supposed to look. We get into the pressure women feel to be everything to everyone, why the “two-hour workday” business dream is often a complete fantasy, the mental load of motherhood, and why you are a stakeholder in your own life. Steph gets so real about learning to say “I can't do dinner tonight,” creating a 30-minute transition between work and mom life, taking a walk without a podcast playing in her ear, locking the bathroom door for an uninterrupted bath, and giving herself permission to actually be a person outside of being a mom and business owner. We also talk about mom guilt, building a business around your values, seasons of hustle and seasons of rest, the power of community, and why sometimes the most productive thing you can do isn't another item on your to-do list - it's sitting down with a pen and paper and figuring out what you truly want. Because you can spend years building the business everyone else tells you to want, and wake up one day realizing you never really asked yourself what you wanted in the first place. Today's Special:In this episode, we're serving up: Why motherhood + entrepreneurship are never going to be as “easy” as the internet makes them lookThe pressure women feel to be present everywhere, all the timeWhy the “two-hour workday” business model can be a harmful fantasyThe invisible mental load behind something as simple as “What's for dinner?”Creating a transition between work mode and mom modeWhy taking 30 minutes for yourself isn't selfishThe physical and mental benefits of actually moving your bodyMom guilt and why there seems to be no equivalent “dad guilt”Building your business around your values instead of someone else's blueprintWhy you are a stakeholder in your own lifeRecognizing your needs vs. your wantsCreating seasons of hustle and seasons of restHow community helps us recognize patterns we can't see on our ownWhy sometimes you need to stop consuming and start listening to yourselfOn the Menu:The “What’s for Dinner?” Problem Why women can technically hand off a task and still carry the mental load of it. Your 30-Minute Decompression Why Steph created a buffer between work and family instead of going straight from one role into the next.  Mom Guilt: The Unpaid Full-Time Job Why we constantly question whether we're doing enough - even when the evidence says we're doing just fine. The Two-Hour Workday Myth The uncomfortable truth about the “make all your money while working two hours a day” messaging being sold to women. Steph argues that building a profitable business takes time, relationships, skill, effort, and real work.  You Are a Stakeholder Your needs aren't an inconvenience to everyone else's life. They're part of the equation. Build the Business Around You Your values, your family, your seasons, your capacity, your goals - not someone else's definition of success. Start With Yourself Before the next offer, strategy, launch, or productivity hack: figure out what you actually want. Meet Our Guest:Steph Rubio helps women in business take their skills, turn them into profitable companies, and learn how to grow and stabilize those businesses through strategy, systems, leverage, and leadership. But underneath all of that is something Steph is deeply passionate about: helping women trust themselves. She's outspoken about the one-size-fits-all business advice flooding the internet and the way it can make women believe they're doing entrepreneurship “wrong” when really, there is no one right way to build a business. Steph is also a mom, a business owner, a community builder, an avid reader, and apparently the person in her household who has officially banned the question “What's for dinner?” (obsessed) Connect with Steph: Instagram: @itsstephrubio She shares business strategy, permission slips, and plenty of voice notes for women figuring out what they actually want. From the Booth:  “The more you're online consuming things that are making you feel like you're out of alignment, you're still not getting closer to your alignment. You're just getting closer to theirs.” Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 009: You’re a Stakeholder in Your Own Life with Steph Rubio

  3. Oct 2

    Guest Check 008: When There’s No More Room on Your Plate with Giavonna Mayo

    What happens when your calendar says you have time .. but your actual life says otherwise? This week at the Milk Money booth, I’m sitting down with Gia, founder of Gia Rose Digital and mom of three, to talk about something I think so many working moms are constantly running into: capacity. Because yes, we all technically have the same 24 hours. But when you're parenting, running a business, managing a household, homeschooling, answering approximately 47 questions before breakfast .. those hours don't exactly work the same way. We get into the difference between time management and capacity, the unexpected “hot chocolate incidents” that can derail an entire day, why white space matters, and how constantly packing your calendar can send you straight into burnout. We also talk about setting boundaries with clients, giving yourself permission to work on a timeline that actually fits your life, recognizing when you've reached your limit, and why going slower doesn't mean you're behind. Because maybe the answer isn't figuring out how to squeeze one more thing onto your plate. Maybe it's realizing there's already enough on it. Today’s Special A few things we're serving up in this conversation: Why having 24 hours doesn't mean having 24 usable hoursThe difference between time management and capacityGia's “hot chocolate incidents” 🍫Why interruptions and mental switching matterLeaving actual white space in your scheduleHow to know when you're reaching your capacityBuilding business timelines around your actual lifeSetting boundaries with clientsWhy you don't have to work at someone else's paceWhat burnout can look like before you actually hit the wallGetting help without assuming it has to mean hiringGoing slower without feeling like you're falling behindOn the Menu The 24-Hour Myth We all have 24 hours, but parenting can make those hours look very different. Hot Chocolate Incidents 🍫 The random things that pop up, derail your plans, and somehow turn a five-minute interruption into an entire afternoon. Capacity vs. Time Management What if the issue isn't that you're bad at managing your time? What if you're simply asking too much of yourself? Leave Some Room on the Plate Why white space in your calendar isn't wasted time—and why moms especially need room for the unexpected. Your Business, Your Timeline Gia shares what happened when she stopped trying to squeeze website projects into one-week timelines and started creating timelines that actually worked for her. When You're at Capacity The signs that things are starting to slip, you're constantly overwhelmed, or your own life and business are getting pushed aside. Go at Your Own Pace You don't have to turn and burn just because someone else is moving faster. Meet Our Guest Gia is the founder of Gia Rose Digital, where she works as a content design and capacity partner for social media managers. She helps social media managers outsource work so they can free up capacity, spend more time with their families, or make room to take on more of the work they actually want to do. She's also a mom of three and a homeschool mom, so she knows firsthand that building a business around your life requires more than just a really good calendar. Connect with Gia: Instagram + Threads: @giarosedigital   From the Booth:  “What if the problem isn't that we're bad at time management? What if we're simply asking too much of the time and capacity we actually have?”  Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 008: When There’s No More Room on Your Plate with Giavonna Mayo

  4. Sep 25

    Guest Check 007: You’re Allowed to Want a Life of Your Own with Nathalia Brasileiro

    What if loving motherhood deeply doesn’t mean you have to want to spend every waking moment with your kids? This week at the Milk Money booth, I’m sitting down with Nat, founder of Vixen Creative, mom to a two-year-old, and someone who is getting really honest about a conversation so many moms feel ashamed to have: wanting a life outside of motherhood. Nat opens up about the guilt she felt when she put her son in daycare, the cultural expectations she grew up with, building a village when your family lives far away, and why asking for help doesn’t make you any less of a mom. We also get into information overload, trusting your own intuition, the pressure to “bounce back,” unsolicited comments about moms’ bodies, and how becoming a mother completely changed the way Nat looked at her time. Because motherhood can be a huge part of your life without having to be your entire life. And maybe building a life that belongs to you, too, isn't selfish. Maybe it's part of taking care of yourself, and showing up as the mom you actually want to be. Today’s Special In this episode, we’re talking about:  The guilt that comes with wanting time away from your kids  Why daycare can be part of your village & not a failure of motherhood  The difference between being a mom entrepreneur and simply being a mom who is an entrepreneur  Why mothers are held to different standards than fathers  Building your own support system when family isn't nearby  Information overload and learning to trust your own intuition  The pressure to “bounce back” after having a baby  Why we need to stop commenting on mothers’ bodies  How motherhood changed Nat’s relationship with time  Leaving corporate and realizing the value of her own time  Creating a life and business that actually fit the life she wants  Letting go of the idea that there is one “right” way to be a good momOn the Menu Motherhood + Identity You can love being a mom without wanting motherhood to consume every part of your identity. Mom Guilt Why do we feel like needing space, daycare, childcare, or help means we're doing something wrong? Building Your Village Sometimes your village isn't family. Sometimes you have to build it yourself. Trusting Your Intuition When the internet gives you 47 different opinions about how to raise your child, how do you learn to trust yourself again? The Value of Your Time Motherhood can completely change the way you look at your limited time—and what you decide is actually worth spending it on. A Life of Your Own You don't have to choose between being a present mom and having dreams, ambition, work, friendships, or a life that belongs to you. Meet Our Guest Nat is the founder and lead strategist at Vixen Creative, a web design and SEO strategy studio for women and BIPOC founders. She's also a mom to a two-year-old and a first-generation immigrant who moved to the U.S. from Brazil at 16. After years in a stable corporate career, becoming a mom shifted the way she thought about time, work, and what she wanted her life to look like. She eventually took the leap into full-time entrepreneurship—and she's bringing all of that honesty to the booth. Connect with Nat  Instagram + Threads: @vixencreative Website: https://viksen.co/  From the Booth: “Why am I not using the now to do something better? The later is not promised.”   Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 007: You’re Allowed to Want a Life of Your Own with Nathalia Brasileiro

  5. Sep 18

    Guest Check 006: Intentional Motherhood, Boundaries & Building a Business That Fits Your Life with Tiana Wiley

    What if being a present mom and being an ambitious business owner didn't have to be an either/or? In this episode of Milk Money, Stephanie sits down with Tiana Wiley, creative director and founder of Ferox Event Designs and Planning, for an honest conversation about building a business while being intentional about the time she has with her son. Tiana shares what it looks like to navigate entrepreneurship, a corporate career, motherhood, and the never-ending mental load that comes with having approximately 37 tabs open in your brain at all times. Together, Stephanie and Tiana talk about creating boundaries with clients, protecting time with your kids, and giving yourself permission to not be available 24/7. Tiana also opens up about becoming a mom at 20 and having her son at 25 weeks, spending three months in the NICU while finishing her degree, and how that season taught her a level of tenacity she carries with her today. But this isn't a conversation about pushing through at all costs. It's about knowing when to push, when to pause, and when to give yourself grace. We talk about being physically present but mentally somewhere else, involving your kids in your work, communicating with them about what you're doing, creating intentional pockets of time together, and remembering that one hard or chaotic workday doesn't define your motherhood. Because you don't have to choose. You can love being a mom and love what you do. You can work hard and be present. You can build something of your own and give yourself permission to rest. And sometimes, the secret sauce is simply being intentional, setting boundaries, and finding the pockets of joy in between. Pull up a seat, this one's for the mom trying to do both. Today's Special A few takeaways from the booth:  You don't have to choose between motherhood and ambition.  Your clients don't need access to you 24/7.  Boundaries aren't just for your clients - they're for you, too.  Being intentional can matter more than trying to create a “perfect” balance.  You can have an incredibly chaotic business season without being a bad mom.  Sometimes you need to push through; sometimes you need to stop.  Your kids can understand more about your work than you might think.  Find the pockets of joy - the car rides, movie nights, coloring, dance breaks, and little moments that become memories.  Give yourself grace.On the Menu In this episode, we talk about:  Building a business while raising kids  Being an ambitious mom  Intentional motherhood  Setting boundaries with clients  Protecting your time  The mental load of motherhood + business  Being physically present but mentally somewhere else  Involving your kids in your business  Communicating with your children about work  Finding pockets of intentional time together  Knowing when to push through and when to slow down  Mom guilt  Giving yourself grace  Tenacity through difficult seasons  Tiana's experience becoming a mom at 20  Her son's premature birth and NICU journey  Finishing college while her son was in the NICU  Building a business around the life you actually wantMeet Our Guest Tiana Wiley Tiana Wiley is the creative director and founder of Ferox Event Designs and Planning, working across experiential events, weddings, and brand activations. With a background in events, hospitality, and corporate training, Tiana also developed the Luxury Client Experience System, focused on helping creatives and entrepreneurs audit and elevate their client experience. She's also a mom to an eight-year-old son — and someone who knows firsthand what it means to build a career and business while being intentional about motherhood. 📱 Instagram + TikTok: @feroxeventdesignsandplanning 💼 LinkedIn: Tiana Wiley Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 006: Intentional Motherhood, Boundaries & Building a Business That Fits Your Life with Tiana Wiley

  6. Sep 11

    Guest Check 005: Health Is Part of the Hustle with Relle Dixon

    What if taking care of your health isn't something you squeeze into the leftover spaces of your life, but something you have to protect in order to build the life you're working so hard for? In this episode of Milk Money, Stephanie sits down with Relle, a keynote speaker and performance coach, to talk about one of the things ambitious moms are often the quickest to put on the back burner: their own health. Relle shares how she learned the hard way that you can't separate your body from your business. We talk about the “hustle, hustle, hustle” mentality, running on caffeine and willpower, and why health has to be part of the equation if you want to show up for your family and pursue your biggest goals.  Stephanie also shares her own experience of reaching three months of consistent naptime workouts, and the two talk about why consistency doesn't mean perfection. A walk counts. A 15-minute workout counts. Taking a rest day counts. The goal isn't to “bounce back” to who you were before having kids - it's to bounce forward into who you're becoming.  You'll also hear about realistic nutrition for busy moms, meal prep, protein, movement, rest and recovery, listening to your body, and letting go of the idea that taking care of yourself is selfish or indulgent. Because your health isn't separate from your ambition. Health is part of the hustle 🥞☕️ Today's Special A few takeaways from the booth:  Your health is part of your business, not separate from it.  Consistency does not mean doing something perfectly every day.  A 10-minute walk or 15-minute workout is still meaningful movement.  Rest isn't laziness - sometimes it's exactly what your body needs.  Stop trying to “bounce back” and start bouncing forward.  Taking care of yourself allows you to be more present for the people and goals that matter to you.On the Menu In this episode, we talk about:  Health and wellness for ambitious moms  Why moms put their health on the back burner  The connection between your health and your business  Realistic movement when you have young kids  Naptime workouts  Walking and small pockets of movement  Consistency vs. perfection  Rest and recovery  Nutrition and fueling your body  Protein and building balanced meals  Meal prep for busy families  Mom guilt and the pressure to “snap back”  Moving beyond diet culture  Listening to your body  Building a sustainable healthy lifestyle  Why health is part of the hustleMeet Our Guest Relle Dixon Relle is a keynote speaker and performance coach who helps ambitious women understand that health is part of the hustle. After experiencing firsthand what happens when health gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list, she now talks about creating sustainable habits around nutrition, movement, rest, and recovery while pursuing big goals.  Relle is also an entrepreneur and mom of two boys and continues to work part-time as a dental hygienist.  Connect with Relle: 📱 Instagram: @bewellwith_relle 🌐 Website: bewellwithrelle.com From the Booth: “Stop trying to find time for your health in your schedule, and just start protecting it.”  Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 005: Health Is Part of the Hustle with Relle Dixon

  7. Sep 4

    Guest Check 004: Grieving Who You Were, Becoming Who You Are with Caroline Kapke

    Motherhood changes you. But what happens when part of becoming a mother means grieving the woman you were before? In this episode of Milk Money, Stephanie sits down with Caroline Kapke for an honest conversation about identity, motherhood, ambition, postpartum anxiety, infertility, and the complicated space between who you were and who you're becoming. Caroline opens up about the experience of becoming a mother after years of praying and hoping for it, only to find herself struggling emotionally once she finally got there. She shares her experience with postpartum anxiety, the guilt that can come with struggling after getting something you desperately wanted, and what it looked like to navigate a changing relationship with her career and sense of self. Stephanie and Caroline talk about the parts of motherhood that don't always make it into the highlight reel - losing yourself, wondering whether you're doing enough, slowing down professionally, and trying to figure out which parts of your old identity you want to bring with you into this new chapter. They also get into a question that sits at the heart of so much of the Milk Money conversation: Does motherhood change who we are, or does it reveal parts of ourselves we hadn't met yet? This is a conversation about motherhood, identity, postpartum anxiety, infertility, career, ambition, mom guilt, and becoming someone new without completely losing who you were. Because maybe you aren't supposed to “find yourself” again. Maybe you're supposed to meet the version of you that's being created now. Today's Special A few takeaways from the booth:  You can deeply love motherhood and still grieve parts of your old life.  Struggling after getting something you've desperately wanted doesn't make you ungrateful.  Motherhood can change your definition of success — personally and professionally.  You don't have to rush to become the “old you” again.  Sometimes motherhood doesn't erase your identity; it introduces you to parts of yourself you hadn't met yet. On the Menu In this episode, we talk about:  The identity shift that comes with motherhood  Grieving who you were before becoming a mom  Postpartum anxiety  The emotional complexity of infertility and finally becoming a mother  Mom guilt  Wanting an identity outside of motherhood  Navigating changes in your career after having children  Redefining success  The pressure to “do it all”  Learning to recognize yourself in a new season  The difference between losing yourself and becoming someone new  What Caroline wishes more moms talked about  Meet Our Guest Caroline Kapke Caroline is a mom, entrepreneur, and advocate for honest conversations around motherhood, identity, and the realities of building a life and career after becoming a parent. Stephanie first met Caroline at a women in business conference, where Caroline was speaking on a panel about motherhood and entrepreneurship. Her perspective immediately resonated with Stephanie — and she knew she needed to invite her to the booth. 📱 Instagram: @carolinekapkerealtor   From the Booth: “I don't think we talk enough about that in-between space where you're grieving who you were while also becoming someone new.”   Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 004: Grieving Who You Were, Becoming Who You Are with Caroline Kapke

  8. Aug 28

    Guest Check 003: Motherhood, Creativity & Just Starting with Bec Thexton

    What happens when becoming a mom doesn't quiet your ambition - it makes you want to create even more? In this episode of Milk Money, Stephanie sits down with Bec Thexton, a new mom, creative builder, product designer, and founder of Fleurac Fragrance, a fragrance brand she launched while on maternity leave. Bec shares the unexpected journey behind Fleurac, which began during her experience with infertility and IVF and her desire to create a fragrance she could feel confident wearing during that season. What started as something she made for herself eventually became a business - one she launched while caring for a six-month-old baby. Stephanie and Bec talk about what it's actually like to build a business during maternity leave, including contact naps, working from your phone with one hand, launching a business while your baby has their first cold, and learning to accept that sometimes done really is better than perfect.  They also get into the mom guilt that comes with wanting something outside of motherhood, why creativity can actually be a form of rest, and the reminder that being a mom and being an ambitious, creative woman aren't mutually exclusive. This is a conversation about motherhood, entrepreneurship, creativity, mom guilt, identity, infertility, IVF, maternity leave, and building something of your own in the margins of motherhood. And Bec has one simple message for the mom sitting on an idea right now: Just start. Today's Special A few takeaways from the booth:  You don't have to wait for the “perfect” season to start creating.  Creativity can be part of your identity and part of your motherhood.  Your business doesn't have to move at the same pace it did before kids.  Done is better than perfect, especially when you're building around a tiny human.  Sometimes the constraints of motherhood can actually give your creativity more focus.On the Menu In this episode, we talk about:  Bec's journey through infertility and IVF  How motherhood inspired the creation of Fleurac Fragrance  Building a business during maternity leave  Navigating the reality of contact naps and limited work time  Working on a business one-handed  Launching a business while raising a baby  Mom guilt and wanting an identity outside of motherhood  Why women can be more than one thing  Creativity as a form of rest  Building a business around the season you're actually in  Letting go of perfectionism  The power of consistency and showing up  Supporting other women and mom-owned businesses  Why sometimes you just need to startMeet Our Guest Bec Thexton Bec Thexton is a creative builder, product designer, new mom, and founder of Fleurac Fragrance, an elevated fragrance brand born from her own journey through infertility, IVF, and motherhood. After years working in tech and design, Bec used her maternity leave to explore a creative idea that eventually became a business. She now shares her experience of building a business while becoming a mother, along with her creative pursuits and life as a new mom. 📱 Instagram: @becthexton 🌸 Fleurac Fragrance: @fleurac_fragrance 🌐 fleuracfragrance.com Bec also writes about building a business while becoming a mother on Substack.   From the Booth:  “I think if you have an idea or a burning desire to create something, build something, make something for yourself, just start.”  Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 003: Motherhood, Creativity & Just Starting with Bec Thexton

  9. Aug 21

    Guest Check 002: Building Your Support System - Without a Village with Sabre Black

    What if your support system doesn't have to be made up of people? In this episode of Milk Money, Stephanie sits down with Sabre Black - mom of three, former military HR professional, and systems wizard - for a conversation about one of the biggest challenges facing moms who are also building businesses: the mental load. Sabre shares how becoming a mom while living far away from family forced her to rethink what “building a support system” actually meant. Instead of waiting for a traditional village to appear, she started looking for ways to take things off her plate through grocery delivery, meal planning systems, automation, and technology. Together, Stephanie and Sabre talk about treating your home a little more like a business - creating systems and SOPs that allow other people to step in without you having to manage every detail yourself. Because sometimes support isn't another person. Sometimes it's the thing that saves you 30 minutes, eliminates a decision, or keeps you from starting from scratch. They also get real about postpartum anxiety, postpartum rage, breastfeeding, the mental and physical demands of motherhood, mom guilt, and why moms shouldn't have to earn their rest. And, of course, Sabre has some strong opinions on what moms should outsource, what's overrated, and where she'd spend an extra $50 a month to buy back some precious time. This is a conversation about motherhood, entrepreneurship, systems, mental load, support, postpartum, breastfeeding, burnout, outsourcing, and giving yourself permission to make life easier. Because maybe you don't need a bigger village, you just need a better system. Today's Special A few takeaways from the booth:  Your support system doesn't always have to be a person.  Build your systems around your worst days, not your best ones.  Moms shouldn't have to earn their rest.  If something repeatedly takes time and energy you don't have, it's worth asking whether it can be outsourced, automated, or eliminated.  Your kids don't have to stop your life - they can come along for the journey. Sabre's philosophy really comes down to this: stop starting from scratch. If you're doing something repeatedly, find a way to make it easier for the next time.  On the Menu In this episode, we talk about:  Building a support system when you don't have a traditional village  The mental load of motherhood  Using technology as part of your support system  Grocery delivery and outsourcing household tasks  Creating a “meal bank” for your family  Treating your home like a business  Creating household SOPs  Building systems for your worst days  Postpartum anxiety and postpartum rage  The realities of breastfeeding  Mom guilt and the pressure to do everything  What moms should outsource  Why “just get childcare” isn't always the answer  The best way to spend an extra $50 a month  Learning to take rest without earning it first  Letting your kids see you pursue your own dreams Meet Our Guest Sabre Black Sabre Black is a mom of three, former military HR professional, and systems-focused entrepreneur who helps moms, particularly default-parent moms building businesses, use systems, automation, and their limited time more intentionally. After becoming a mom while living far from family, Sabre learned firsthand that building a support system doesn't always mean finding more people. Sometimes it means finding better systems that take things off your plate. She's also a YouTube creator and self-proclaimed yapper, so naturally, we love her. 😂 Connect with Sabre: Instagram: @sabreoreyana YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SabreOreyana Threads: @sabreoreyana  A Little Something From the Booth: “If you keep basing everything off your best day, it's never gonna work out.”  Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 002: Building Your Support System - Without a Village with Sabre Black

  10. Aug 21

    Guest Check 001: Motherhood Meets Ambition - Redefining Success with Dana Foster

    What happens when the version of success you worked so hard for no longer fits the life you actually want? In the first-ever Guest Check, Stephanie sits down with Dana Foster, a pharmacist-turned-coach and mom of two kids less than a year apart, to talk about building a sustainable business alongside motherhood. Dana shares her journey from working in ICU pharmacy during COVID, experiencing burnout and postpartum anxiety, and moving into an administrative role for more flexibility, to starting a gut health coaching business and eventually pivoting into business support for mom founders. Together, Stephanie and Dana unpack what it actually looks like to build a business when you don't have unlimited time, energy, childcare, or control over your schedule. They talk about redefining success around flexibility and being a present parent, why Dana thinks of work and motherhood as a blend rather than a balance, and how to communicate with clients when motherhood inevitably throws an imperfect week your way. They also get into meal routines, Dana's 555 grocery method, solo parenting while her husband works 48-hour firefighter shifts, perfectionism, and the pressure to stop rushing through every season. This is a conversation about motherhood, entrepreneurship, mom guilt, burnout, ambition, flexibility, and letting go of perfectionism - and a reminder that building a successful business doesn't have to mean building one that consumes your life. Today's Special A few takeaways from the booth:  Success can look different after becoming a mom — and that's not settling.  Flexibility can be a legitimate measure of business success.  “Balance” may not be the goal; finding a sustainable blend might be.  An imperfect week doesn't mean you're failing at motherhood or business.  You don't have to rush every season of your life.On the Menu In this episode, we talk about:  Burnout from working in ICU pharmacy during COVID  Postpartum anxiety and the transition into motherhood  Leaving clinical pharmacy for more flexibility  Dana's journey into entrepreneurship  Pivoting from gut health coaching to supporting mom founders  Building a business around the realities of parenting  Redefining success after becoming a mom  The difference between work-life balance and work-life blend  Communicating with clients when life gets messy  The 555 grocery method  Solo parenting with a spouse who works 48-hour shifts  Perfectionism, slowing down, and letting go of the rushMeet Our Guest Dana Foster Dana Foster is a pharmacist-turned-coach, mom of two, and business support expert who helps mom founders build businesses that actually work within the realities of their lives. After experiencing burnout in ICU pharmacy during COVID and navigating postpartum anxiety, Dana began rethinking what she wanted her career and motherhood to look like. Her own journey eventually led her to supporting other mom entrepreneurs who want to build sustainable businesses without ignoring the constraints of parenting. Instagram: @danafosterco YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DanaFosterCo Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

    Guest Check 001: Motherhood Meets Ambition - Redefining Success with Dana Foster

  11. Aug 21

    The Conversation I Couldn't Find: Why I Created Milk Money

    What happens when you love being a mom but still want a life, identity, and ambition of your own? In the very first episode of Milk Money, Stephanie Lemes pulls up a chair and shares the story behind the podcast she never expected to create. After becoming a mom and launching her own business, Stephanie found herself searching for conversations about the messy middle of motherhood and entrepreneurship - the mom guilt, identity shifts, loneliness, ambition, and constant question of “Am I doing the right thing?” There were plenty of podcasts for women in business and plenty of podcasts about motherhood. But Stephanie couldn't find the conversations that went deep enough into what it actually feels like to build a business while raising kids and figuring out who you are after motherhood changes everything. So she created the conversation she couldn't find. In this episode, Stephanie shares where the idea for Milk Money came from, why she believes moms deserve a space to talk about more than motherhood alone, and her vision for the diner we're building together — a place where ambitious moms, mompreneurs, working moms, and women building businesses can pull up a seat, pour it all out, and feel a little less alone. Welcome to Milk Money, the coffee is hot, the booth is open, and we saved you a seat 🥞☕🍒 Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

  12. Trailer

    Milk Money Trailer

    Welcome to Milk Money, a podcast for moms who love their kids fiercely AND have dreams, ambitions, identities, and lives of their own.  Pull up a seat for honest conversations about motherhood, business, ambition, identity, mom guilt, and all the messy bits in between. We're serving up the conversations moms don't always get to have - with women building businesses, chasing big dreams, and figuring it out along the way. The coffee is hot, the booth is open 24/7, and yes .. we'll probably ask what's for dinner tonight? Milk Money opens August 21, 2026. We saved you a seat! Pull Up a Seat Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe to Milk Money and pull up a seat at the booth for more honest conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, and all the messy bits in between. You can also find Milk Money here: @themilkmoneypodcast  Meet me behind the counter:  @milkmademedia_ Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕

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About

Serving short stacks and big dreams 🥞☕ Welcome to Milk Money, a podcast for moms who love their kids fiercely AND have dreams, ambitions, identities, and lives of their own. Because motherhood is already a full-time job, but for a lot of us, it isn't the only thing we want to be. Milk Money is where we talk about the part of motherhood that doesn't always make it into the polished Instagram posts: building a business while raising kids, wanting an identity outside of motherhood, navigating mom guilt, protecting your time and energy, and figuring out how to build a life that actually works for the woman living it. Whether you call yourself a mompreneur, mom entrepreneur, working mom, business owner, founder, or just a mom who has a little voice saying there has to be more, we saved you a seat. Meet Your Hostess I'm Stephanie Lemes — mom, wife, business owner, creative, and the woman behind the mic. I started Milk Money because I was searching for the podcast I needed in this season of my life and couldn't find it. There were plenty of business podcasts for women. Plenty of motherhood podcasts. But I wanted the conversations that lived in the messy middle — what happens when you're building a business, raising tiny humans, figuring out who you are, and trying not to lose yourself somewhere along the way. So I decided to create the booth I couldn't find. Milk Money is for the mom who loves being a mom and still wants something that's hers, is building a business between school drop-off, nap time and bedtime, has big dreams but limited time and energy, or simply wants honest conversations about motherhood and entrepreneurship instead of another highlight reel. You don't need a six-figure business. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need to know there's more to your story. Every week, we're pulling up a chair for honest, unfiltered conversations about motherhood, ambition, business, identity, relationships, health, money, and all the messy bits in between. You'll hear from moms building businesses in all kinds of seasons and stages — and hopefully leave each episode feeling a little less alone. Because sometimes the best thing another mom can give you isn't advice. It's proof that you're not the only one. Welcome to the Diner. Picture a retro roadside diner — checkered floors, coffee refills, chrome, cherry-red booths, jukeboxes, and a bell letting everyone know your order is up. Why a diner? Because diners are open 24/7, just like motherhood. There is no clocking out. No true off-shift. So at Milk Money, we're flipping the script: the women doing all the serving finally get to sit down. Pull up a seat. Stay awhile. Pour it all out. We'll talk about the wins, the doubts, the pivots, the guilt, the ambition, the chaos, and the dreams that didn't disappear when you became a mom. Expect guest conversations, solo episodes, listener questions, and eventually a phone line where you can call in, ask a question, vent, or just say the thing you haven't been able to say anywhere else. Because this booth is yours, too. Milk Money: Serving short stacks and big dreams. Welcome in, we saved you a seat.

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