• The cost of the confidence gap in mothers in demanding careers, and what to do about it!
    Mar 16 2022

    “Think about when you enter a room and you talk with different people who have conviction and confidence within their work. It’s very magnetic to work with these people, and for you to harness this power is so important to not only your earning power but also help the impact that you want to make.”

    In this episode, Pros&Babes founder and CEO and host of this podcast Kinia Romanowska talks about what it's really costing us the confidence gap in women, either by being more self-critical or taking a long time to forgive ourselves after a mistake and strategies that will build your confidence back.

    Tune in to this episode as Kinia discusses using our strengths and capabilities as a working parents to show confidence and skills in the workplace.

    0:00 Intro

    1:40 A study on women’s confidence in the workplace

    4:25 How Pros&Babes is helping women to gain their confidence back

    5:30 Exploring your matrescence

    7:48 How does the values assessment help with building your confidence back?

    8:23 Envisioning your goals and your legacy

    9:26 How to use your vision to build your confidence

    10:11 Mapping out your energy to avoid burnout

    10:51 How to conserve and use your energy purposefully to boost your confidence

    11:20 Taking advantage of your transferable skills

    11:50 The importance of confidence in the workplace

    12:17 Some examples of ways you can improve your life by gaining confidence

    13:38 Using confidence as a leader in your field

    14:54 Streamlining the process to gain your confidence back after maternity leave

    15:23 Joining a community of like-minded women for accountability

    16:32 Endnotes

    If you’re enjoying the show, I’d be so grateful if you left us a review on iTunes so we can reach more moms, just like you. No one should be alone with the crushing overwhelm of trying to balance family and career life.

    Want more support from moms just like you?

    Join us at facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

    Be the first to access our free training on career and family life strategies, financial planning for moms, back-to-work planning, and more.

    Kinia Romanowska is a mother of two, wife, and award-winning journalist turned founder and CEO of Pros&Babes. She helps women in STEM, competitive, and corporate careers (and their employers) turn the "motherhood penalty" into their greatest advantage, through the MoMBA™ (Mom MBA), a 12-month hybrid group coaching, and 1-1 program.

    For more information, visit momba.prosandbabes.com

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    18 mins
  • Eliminating your mental B.S. to break out of living a mediocre lifestyle
    Mar 14 2022

    “The acronym, BOLD, is being a brave, outgoing leader deciding. This means that you decide on the legacy that you want to leave behind, both in your career and with your children. This takes being outgoing, having strength in your core values, and being willing to speak about them.”

    In this episode, Mary Bicknell, CEO of See the Signs, joins founder and CEO Kinia Romanowska to talk about how she has been helping women break free of their psychological limitations so they can become leaders in their life and business.

    Tune in to this episode for Mary’s teachings about being more BOLD and eliminating your mental B.S. to lead a Life Uncommon.

    Mary Bicknell is CEO, Podcaster and Founder of See The Signs. Her global consulting company focuses on helping women break free of their psychological limitations so they can become leaders in their life and business. Connect with Mary at her podcast, Lead A Life Uncommon, her website, or on Linkedin.

    0:00 Intro

    0:47 Meet Mary

    1:58 How Mary helps women take ownership in their lives

    3:32 How to encourage yourself to believe that your voice matters

    6:52 Being BOLD: Building your legacy for your children

    11:07 How to break free of being tired of taking charge of your life

    15:03 Transforming and changing your thinking

    19:05 Breaking through your everyday pattern to become the better you

    22:13 How to live your life uncommon

    28:36 Using hope to see the good in the bad

    32:04 Mary’s 25-year vision

    34:17 Connect with Mary

    35:35 Endnotes

    If you’re enjoying the show, I’d be so grateful if you left us a review on iTunes so we can reach more moms, just like you. No one should be alone with the crushing overwhelm of trying to balance family and career life.

    Want more support from moms just like you?

    Join us at facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

    Be the first to access our free training on career and family life strategies, financial planning for moms, back-to-work planning, and more.

    Kinia Romanowska is a mother of two, wife, and award-winning journalist turned founder and CEO of Pros&Babes. She helps women in STEM, competitive, and corporate careers (and their employers) turn the "motherhood penalty" into their greatest advantage, through the MoMBA™ (Mom MBA), a 12-month hybrid group coaching, and 1-1 program.

    For more information, visit momba.prosandbabes.com

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    37 mins
  • Use project management to focus on your family priorities
    Mar 9 2022

    “As with companies, it’s important for your family to have their mission statement and core values to drive decisions. When I started thinking about this for my family, it helped us and our kids to have a guiding principle to go off of when we feel overwhelmed or anxious.”

    In this episode, Hilary Kinney, Director & Author joins founder and CEO Kinia Romanowska to talk about her book, Project Management for Parents, engaging the family, building teamwork and succeeding together.

    Tune in to this episode as Hilary provides resources and tips for busy families to streamline life at home.

    Hilary Kinney is the proud mother of an elementary school student and a project manager with 17 years of experience at a Fortune 500 company. Her recent parenting accomplishments include teaching him to plan his day independently, make dinner, and get his chores done – sometimes without complaining. She is also the author of Project Management for Parents, created to provide resources for busy families to streamline life at home. She lives with her family in the Washington, D.C. area. Connect with Hilary at Project Management for Parents or get your copy of her book at all major online retailers.

    0:00 Intro

    0:48 Meet Hilary

    1:40 Hilary’s inspiration to writing a book to help other parents manage their busy lives

    3:27 Getting organized and boosting productivity at home

    5:26 How to assess resources versus work in a changing environment

    9:32 How to embrace change and reduce risk in your career

    13:43 Allocating time and space for an emotional check-in

    19:04 How to build an engaged high performing family

    22:39 Getting your children involved in planning

    24:35 How to reduce overwhelm and focus on your priorities

    29:42 How to manage part-time work in a corporate setting

    33:22 Connect with Hilary

    34:48 Endnotes

    If you’re enjoying the show, I’d be so grateful if you left us a review on iTunes so we can reach more moms, just like you. No one should be alone with the crushing overwhelm of trying to balance family and career life.

    Want more support from moms just like you?

    Join us at facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

    Be the first to access our free training on career and family life strategies, financial planning for moms, back-to-work planning, and more.

    Kinia Romanowska is a mother of two, wife, and award-winning journalist turned founder and CEO of Pros&Babes. She helps women in STEM, competitive, and corporate careers (and their employers) turn the "motherhood penalty" into their greatest advantage, through the MoMBA™ (Mom MBA), a 12-month hybrid group coaching, and 1-1 program.

    For more information, visit momba.prosandbabes.com

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    36 mins
  • Maternal mental health and looking stylish while being comfortable in maternity clothes
    Mar 7 2022

    “When I started my maternity clothing store, I really wanted to go back to my roots and use my creative side. And this journey to make my vision a reality connected me with amazing people in my life, made me figure out who I was beyond being a mom, and made me better by growing the community around me.”

    In this episode, the owner of the Fourth and mom of three, Iris Toon, joins founder and CEO Kinia Romanowska to talk about her journey through her business of designing and selling maternity clothes that help mothers feel comfortable while looking stylish and maternal mental health.

    Tune in to this episode as Iris discusses supporting other moms who have had changes in their well-being when they become moms.

    Iris Toon is the owner of The Fourth, a maternity and nursing clothing shop. Dressing moms in comfy, stylish clothes they can wear from the first to the fourth trimester. She’s also passionate about advocating for maternal mental health because of her own experience with postpartum anxiety. Raising a family of three girls with her husband, Dan, in Edmonton, Canada. Connect with Iris at www.the-fourth.ca or on Instagram or Facebook.

    0:00 Intro

    0:44 Meet Iris

    2:26 Iris’ journey as a mother of three while thriving as a business owner

    5:10 Why is having mental health support important?

    7:56 Getting through the fourth trimester: Going back to your roots and accepting help

    10:01 Iris’ process of matrescence in her personal and professional life

    12:36 Being an entrepreneur in Edmonton

    14:15 The struggle of shopping for maternity clothes and how Iris helps to make this easier

    16:40 How Iris put faith into her religion to thrive in her business

    21:37 How Iris juggles being an entrepreneur with being a mom of three and a loving wife

    26:20 The importance of being and feeling comfortable in maternity clothes

    29:54 Iris’ 25-year vision

    31:50 Connect with Iris

    33:03 Endnotes

    If you’re enjoying the show, I’d be so grateful if you left us a review on iTunes so we can reach more moms, just like you. No one should be alone with the crushing overwhelm of trying to balance family and career life.

    Want more support from moms just like you?

    Join us at facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

    Be the first to access our free training on career and family life strategies, financial planning for moms, back-to-work planning, and more.

    Kinia Romanowska is a mother of two, wife, and award-winning journalist turned founder and CEO of Pros&Babes. She helps women in STEM, competitive, and corporate careers (and their employers) turn the "motherhood penalty" into their greatest advantage, through the MoMBA™ (Mom MBA), a 12-month hybrid group coaching, and 1-1 program.

    For more information, visit momba.prosandbabes.com

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    34 mins
  • How to be an investor in local businesses: Opportunities for wealth-building while empowering those
    Mar 2 2022

    “It’s so important to get women into investing because it gives women the confidence to persevere. This will help with the next step in their journeys and they will be able to use this to carry them info other places and have the confidence to get what they want.”

    In this episode, Bryan Slauko cofounder at Metiquity joins founder and CEO Kinia Romanowska to talk about early-stage investing, how you can explore that opportunity and make a difference in the lives of local entrepreneurs.

    Tune in to this episode as Bryan discusses building growth for yourself while investing in the local economy.

    Bryan is a co-founder of Metiquity Ventures Fund, bringing over 20 years of experience as an investment professional, advisor, entrepreneur and director. Bryan has combined his expertise in investment analysis, market research, due diligence and early-stage growth equity with experience in business strategy, corporate governance and business building, to help unlock growth opportunities, create value and effectively manage risk for investors, early-stage companies and the communities he works in. Connect with Bryan through https://metiquity.ca/ or Linkedin.

    0:00 Intro

    0:35 Meet Bryan

    3:04 How different types of funds help entrepreneurs

    6:41 The types of opportunities to look for

    10:49 Opportunities to become an angel investor

    16:17 How to choose opportunities before you invest

    18:53 The world Bryan is building for his girls

    26:57 The hope for working women in the future

    34:38 Creating role models that reflect the ups and downs of being a working mother

    36:22 A case study from Bryan on investing

    45:13 Connect with Bryan

    46:32 Endnotes

    If you’re enjoying the show, I’d be so grateful if you left us a review on iTunes so we can reach more moms, just like you. No one should be alone with the crushing overwhelm of trying to balance family and career life.

    Want more support from moms just like you?

    Join us at facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

    Be the first to access our free training on career and family life strategies, financial planning for moms, back-to-work planning, and more.

    Kinia Romanowska is a mother of two, wife, and award-winning journalist turned founder and CEO of Pros&Babes. She helps women in STEM, competitive, and corporate careers (and their employers) turn the "motherhood penalty" into their greatest advantage, through the MoMBA™ (Mom MBA), a 12-month hybrid group coaching, and 1-1 program.

    For more information, visit momba.prosandbabes.com

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    48 mins
  • Make your return to work smooth and confident by bringing support, resilience and structure
    Feb 28 2022

    In this episode, lawyer and working-parent advocate Lori Mihalich-Levin joins Kinia Romanowska to discuss the rituals and key conversations that can bring support, resilience, and structure into the delicate transition back to work after maternity leave.

    Lori also offers key strategies for managing energy, honoring our needs, and staying grounded when hardly anything about life and work is normal and predictable.

    Listen in to glean insights and tips on cultivating mindfulness in your daily life and building supportive relationships at home and at work so you can make your return to work smooth and confident.

    Lori Mihalich-Levin, JD, health care lawyer at her own firm, The GME Group, PLLC., has poured her passion for empowering working parents into Mindful Return, a movement that helps new moms and dads navigate the uncertain terrain of working parenthood. Mother to two boys, she is also the author of the widely-acclaimed book “Back to Work After Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave,” and co-host of the Parents at Work Podcast.

    Connect with Lori and her Mindful Return program on Instagram @mindfulreturn and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/mindfulreturn

    0:00 Intro

    3:04 How to make a “mindful return”

    05:02 The Saturday basket: keeping chaos in one place

    6:27 Even if the world ends...I’ll be on point!

    8:42 “I’m the Chief bottle washer, you’re the Chief diaper changer:” sharing the domestic labor

    9.47 Responsibility-sharing is a never-ending conversation

    13:05 Micro tips for managing your energy

    14:44 Daily rituals that help us hit “pause,” shift pace and stay grounded

    20:36 Why self-care benefits our kids, too

    23:45 Me-time...in bulk!

    26:07 The top three things women must negotiate for work-life integration

    31:11 What new moms need to acknowledge if they want to succeed

    33:18 The wisdom of hindsight: advice for new moms

    37:22 What will your kids say about you in 25 years?

    If you’re enjoying the show, I’d be so grateful if you left us a review on iTunes so we can reach more moms, just like you. No one should be alone with the crushing overwhelm of trying to balance family and career life.

    Want more support from moms just like you?

    Join us at facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

    Be the first to access our free training on career and family life strategies, financial planning for moms, back-to-work planning, and more.

    Kinia Romanowska is a mother of two, wife, and award-winning journalist turned founder and CEO of Pros&Babes. She helps women in STEM, competitive, and corporate careers (and their employers) turn the "motherhood penalty" into their greatest advantage, through the MoMBA™ (Mom MBA), a 12-month hybrid group coaching, and 1-1 program.

    For more information, visit momba.prosandbabes.com

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    47 mins
  • How our careers affect our children
    Feb 23 2022

    “Our careers definitely affect our children. Seeing us go to work sets a precedent for your children of showing that we have a skill and we are choosing to use this skill to impact our community positively.”

    In this episode, Pros&Babes founder and CEO Kinia Romanowska is joined by Rachel Jones from Kepler Academy to discuss the juggling act that is working-motherhood in ways that make us feel confident and empowered in our identities and choices.

    Tune in to this episode as Kinia and Rachel discuss society’s expectations, pressures from work-family conditioning weighing heavily on mothers, and a fresh perspective on how being a career-driven mother impacts your parenting.

    Rachel is Marketing Manager for Kepler Academy Early Learning and Child Care located in Edmonton, Alberta. Rachel shares Kepler's story and services in a variety of markets, where quality care for children is in high demand. Her background includes public relations and marketing with a progressive work history in both the private and public sectors in Alberta. Connect with Rachel on Linkedin, personal website or Kepler Academy’s website.

    0:00 Intro

    5:53 “Would you ever send your husband to eat steak on the toilet”: Inequality at the workplace

    7:53 Changing working motherhood and fatherhood to fit caregiving roles

    13:23 How to use support systems so that you’re not drowning as a dual-income household

    16:35 Does having children affect a mother’s income?

    24:10 Tackling the maternal wall bias at your workplace

    25:59 Changing and building a workplace that supports working moms

    31:43 Why is being a working mom important for your children?

    40:32 Looking 25-years into the future to motivate you to keep working

    47:56 Relevancy to both parents and non-parents

    50:52 Endnotes

    If you’re enjoying the show, I’d be so grateful if you left us a review on iTunes so we can reach more moms, just like you. No one should be alone with the crushing overwhelm of trying to balance family and career life.

    Want more support from moms just like you?

    Join us at facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

    Be the first to access our free training on career and family life strategies, financial planning for moms, back-to-work planning, and more.

    Kinia Romanowska is a mother of two, wife, and award-winning journalist turned founder and CEO of Pros&Babes. She helps women in STEM, competitive, and corporate careers (and their employers) turn the "motherhood penalty" into their greatest advantage, through the MoMBA™ (Mom MBA), a 12-month hybrid group coaching, and 1-1 program.

    For more information, visit momba.prosandbabes.com

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    52 mins
  • We shall never pump milk in a toilet stall again! And other reasons why we’re changing the world
    Feb 21 2022

    “The world needs us to embrace our differences and create a better world. Women bring so many new perspectives such as being nurturing and being more inclusive, which the STEM field can use in the community.”

    In this episode, Women in STEM Mentor, Brenda Denbesten joins founder and CEO Kinia Romanowska to discuss facing career challenges like being penalized for having children through cutting salaries, promotions or having to pump milk in a bathroom stall because the workplace doesn’t normalize having a designated space for mothers.

    Tune in to this episode for insights on the importance of having more women in STEM and leadership positions, as they think about the full potential of their workers through their nurturing and inclusive nature.

    Brenda Denbesten was a chemical engineer for 15 years before becoming a mentor and coach for women in STEM. She helps women gain clarity on their unique strengths and skills and the confidence to leverage these for a maximum impact in the workplace. Connect with Brenda at her Youtube channel or Facebook Group.

    0:00 Intro

    0:43 Meet Brenda

    5:06 Brenda’s source for her boundless optimism and how to create your own source

    14:50 Why it is important that more women join STEM careers?

    21:46 What do you need to do in 2022 to promote inclusivity at your workplace?

    26:01 Acknowledging as a healing process

    33:21 Connect with Brenda

    35:27 Endnotes

    If you’re enjoying the show, I’d be so grateful if you left us a review on iTunes so we can reach more moms, just like you. No one should be alone with the crushing overwhelm of trying to balance family and career life.

    Want more support from moms just like you?

    Join us at facebook.com/groups/prosandbabes

    Be the first to access our free training on career and family life strategies, financial planning for moms, back-to-work planning, and more.

    Kinia Romanowska is a mother of two, wife, and award-winning journalist turned founder and CEO of Pros&Babes. She helps women in STEM, competitive, and corporate careers (and their employers) turn the "motherhood penalty" into their greatest advantage, through the MoMBA™ (Mom MBA), a 12-month hybrid group coaching, and 1-1 program.

    For more information, visit momba.prosandbabes.com

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    37 mins