If you’re a mom, chances are you are part of the cult following that the children’s apparel brand, Rockets of Awesome, has garnered over the years. And if you don’t know, now you know. Today I’m joined by its Founder/CEO Rachel Blumenthal, who’s a serial entrepreneur, fervent risk taker, and mother of two alongside her husband Neil Blumenthal, CEO of transformative and socially conscious lifestyle brand of eyewear, Warby Parker. Together, they have an equal vested partnership in raising their tw...
Jun 03, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 100
Kanika: Math can be daunting for kids (and parents)! I know HOMER recently added new math content to your learning program, HOMER Learn & Grow. What tips can you share with our families to ensure they’re setting their children up to be confident in math. Stephanie: Sure, math can be a real point of anxiety for both children and kids. My husband Andre is [insert Andre’s math expertise] has always loved math and I have to credit him with instilling a passion and love for math in my kids Stepha...
May 29, 2021•6 min
Robyn Ward is a 20+ year veteran of the technology startup space. She started FounderForward, a boutique leadership development firm, to help founders and executives uplevel themselves and build high-performing teams, cultures and companies. Current and past clients include Ritual, Ordermark, Tala, STEM, and Toucan, among others. A sought after keynote and panelist, Robyn speaks at conferences, companies, and venture firms on topics relating to: Entrepreneurial Mindset, Peak Performance, and Bes...
May 28, 2021•48 min•Season 2Ep. 99
Kanika: The last year has given us a new perspective on screen time. While it allowed for remote learning during a pandemic, we also have screen time fatigue -- and new blue light lenses : ) -- from too much of it. What are some tips, resources, and guardrails you can share regarding screen time for young learners. Stephanie: As you mentioned, technology has saved us in so many ways this past year. We’ve been able to stay connected to the outside world -- teachers, family, friends -- because of ...
May 22, 2021•7 min
As a longtime news anchor, former host of “Access Hollywood” and co-host of “Access Hollywood Live,” current West Coast Anchor of the TODAY Show and correspondent of Dateline NBC and NBC Nightly News, Natalie Morales is a beloved household name. So it's only natural that she released a bestselling cookbook called At Home With Natalie: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living from My Kitchen to Yours. Natalie was born in Taiwan, to a Brazilian mother, Penelope, and a Puerto Rican father, Lieutenant Colo...
May 20, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 98
Kanika: Summer is here, but it feels different from any other summer. Typically summer break is a time to travel, enjoy the sunshine, spend time with friends and family, however this year, how we spend our summer isn’t as clear -- Is it safe to travel? Should we use this time to catch up on school? Take summer school classes? Or is this a time for play? A time to recover and recharge? Stephanie: Absolutely, I think all families can relate to what you just described. I know I certainly can. On th...
May 15, 2021•6 min
Sheetal Sheth is an acclaimed actress, producer, author, and activist. She is known for her provocative performances in a wide range of memorable roles on film and television. She has starred in over 20 feature films and many TV shows and is a favorite in the independent film world, having won five best actress awards on the film festival circuit. She has earned a loyal, international following. Sheetal began her career at a time when few South Asians were making their living as actors. Despite ...
May 13, 2021•48 min•Season 2Ep. 95
Kanika: My kids are having a really hard time being cut off from their friends and dealing with COVID. How do I help them navigate through these times? Stephanie / Statistics: Most notably, the low-income, Black and Hispanic communities that urban districts more often serve have been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus. Their students are expected to have some of the greatest academic, social and emotional learning losses coming out of the pandemic (USNews). Even before the coronaviru...
May 08, 2021•6 min
Hello listeners. How are you at this present moment? I want you to really to take a second to think about that. I know we’re overworked and tired because we’re managing a ton - overseeing our businesses whether we’re taking on new ventures or growing empires, taking care of our families and entertaining and teaching our kids at home as best we can, running our households, and doing it all over again the next day. Things are not getting any easier, but my guest today is a woman who chooses to lea...
May 06, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 96
Kanika: Reading to me is one of my favorite things to do and I want so badly for my children to enjoy it, but it can be scary. HOMER’s reading program is proven to increase early learning scores by 74%, so clearly you’re the pro here. Stephanie (HOMER origin story): I was working at the fund for public schools and my daughter Anya was struggling with reading. I had access to the greatest minds in education and no one could recommend a product they trusted, so I set out to create one. Kanika: I l...
May 01, 2021•9 min
With over 25 years experience in education, Stephanie Dua committed to developing better education opportunities and life outcomes for our children. As co-founder and president of HOMER, an early learning brand that builds personalized learning experiences for kids, she’s passionate about crafting products that support children - and parents - on the profoundly personal journey to reading. HOMER rejects a one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Instead, the learning app taps into a child’s uniqu...
Apr 29, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 95
On average, families have to prepare 21 meals a week, and when you factor in kids’ age groups, picky eaters, cuisine preferences, it can be really overwhelming for parents. During the pandemic, prodege.com surveyed 502 parents with children under 18. They found that 52% are spending more on groceries and 41% have stocked up on meal staples that’s easy enough for kids to prepare themselves. Which brings me to today’s episode where I’ll be interviewing the Head of Marketing of Farmer’s Fridge. Far...
Apr 22, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 94
Farnoosh Torabi is one of America’s leading personal finance authorities — hooked on helping you live your richest, happiest life. As Contributing Editor to Oprah Magazine and NextAdvisor, host of a primetime series for CNBC and creator of the Webby-nominated podcast So Money, Farnoosh has become our favorite go-to money expert and financial friend. The New York Times calls her advice, “perfectly practical.” Farnoosh’s award-winning and critically-acclaimed podcast, So Money, has surpassed 17 mi...
Apr 15, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 93
Ali Koplar Wyatt is a veteran of the start-up world, having worked in a leadership capacity at iconic lifestyle and culture shifting companies like Goop, Refinery29 and most recently, launching Female Founder Collective with Rebecca Minkoff. She is a business builder, advisor to start-ups and an investor in female funded businesses. Ali was one of the first employees at Refinery29 and was tasked with building an ad and brand partnership business from scratch, subsequently assembling a world-clas...
Apr 08, 2021•40 min•Season 2Ep. 92
Are you worried your kids are addicted to their screens and are not using their imagination and curiosity as much as they should? Do you feel like toys and gadgets have taken over your home and you just want to go back to the basics with minimal things for your babies and kids to play with, that happen to be decoration pieces too? Today, I’m joined by the creative director of Manhattan Toy Company, Jeanne Bleu, who is going to share her special connection to toys and why the brand is so intentio...
Apr 01, 2021•41 min•Season 2Ep. 91
When it comes to photos of your kids. What are you having most trouble with? Organization - You have so many digital photos from newborn phase on up and you don’t know how to compartmentalize it all? Time - You would love to be the scrapbooking mom but just don’t have the time or energy to do it. Life in a pandemic is all consuming! Lack of Creativity - You tried apps online but you don’t have the creativity to create a photo book from scratch on your own. We are going to answer all your questio...
Mar 25, 2021•39 min•Season 2Ep. 90
Chances are you’ve seen my guest providing her skincare tips on YouTube, creating candid and fun videos as the “Rich Mom” on TikTok or showcasing editorial worthy photos of her collabs with designers like Valentino and Balmain during fashion week on her lifestyle blog. Now her latest venture involves helping her audience navigate parenthood. She’s none other than Korean American fashion stylist, digital influencer, and entrepreneur - Chriselle Lim. Starting off her fashion career as a wardrobe s...
Mar 18, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 89
Hi everyone. I want to start by telling you that I am so excited for this special interview because it’s like none I have done before. My guest today is a mega superstar who I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing on numerous occasions in the US, Canada, and now on Zoom, and he is being joined by his one and only mom. This show is called That’s Total Mom sense for a reason. I think this his first interview with his mom so it’s going to fun for all of us. So the artist I’m talking about is Arjun Co...
Mar 11, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 88
My guest today is a force. She’s a mother and a healer and a motivational speaker to a global audience with here life’s work. From stage IV cancer patient to ComedyCures CEO, Saranne Rothberg is a sought-after healthcare thought leader, speaker, patient advocate, and health and happiness expert, and is regularly featured on CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX & PBS. Saranne collaborates with Fortune 500 companies, leading medical centers, The World Health Organization, The United Nations, The National...
Mar 04, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 87
Today I’m excited to feature a guest who is a known risk-taker and prides herself on living by her own terms. Ali Levine. Celebrity stylist and motherhood/fashion/lifestyle expert Ali Levine believes that no matter where you roam, from the laundry room to the red carpet, authenticity is your superpower and “confidence is your best accessory.” Raised in the high-velocity fashion culture of New York City, a natural gift for style led Levine to opportunities working with international designers lik...
Feb 25, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 86
Shape + Foster takes members on a journey of personal development, providing knowledge and actionable insight via six amazing professionals in mental health, fitness, nutrition, finance, life coaching and yoga. All members are here for the same reason - to learn and grow. This makes for an active and positive community, and one you should be part of! Meet My Guest: WEBSITE: ShapeandFoster.com INSTAGRAM: @shapeandfoster DISCOUNT PLAN: Get 10% off Shape + Foster via this special link from Kanika L...
Feb 24, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 85
2020 was the year of going back to the basics and focusing on self care, whether it meant making time to meditate to fill us spiritually or honing on our skincare regimen to make us feel confident. Especially since we’re wearing masks on the daily and our skin is affected by that. That’s why I am so excited to have industry leader and beauty expert, Shani Darden on my show today. Meet My Guest: WEBSITE: ShaniDarden.com INSTAGRAM: @shanidarden Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...
Feb 11, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 84
Deborah Reber, MA, is a parenting activist, New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and speaker who moved her career in a more personal direction in 2016 when she founded TiLT Parenting, a top resource for parents like her who are raising differently wired children. The TiLT Parenting Podcast has grown to be a top podcast in iTunes’ Kids and Family category, with nearly 3 million downloads and a slate of guests that includes high-profile thought leaders across the parenting and educatio...
Feb 04, 2021•36 min•Season 2Ep. 83
Wouldn’t it be cool if kids could drink their vitamins and enjoy them? Well, they can. You may have seen this founder’s products on the shelves at Walmart, CVS, or on Amazon or Thrive Market -- Kids Luv. They are changing the game for kids’ drink boxes everywhere! Meet My Guest: WEBSITE: KidsLuv.com INSTAGRAM: @kidsluvdrinks FACEBOOK: /KidsLuvDrinks LINKEDIN: KidsLuv Press EONLINE.COM: 14 Shark Tank Items That Are All Made in the USA REDTRI.COM: 23 Mom-Invented Food Products We Love FOODNAVIGATO...
Jan 28, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 82
As many of us are homeschooling our kids or managing their hybrid school schedules along with our own work day, we’re all scrambling in the mornings. Breakfast is undoubtedly the most important meal of the day as our kiddos are breaking their fast of 12 hours of sleep beforehand. So we want to give them foods that are satiating and nourishing. Today, we’re talking to a female and mom founder, Emily Groden, who’s helping make breakfast a little easier and a lot healthier. Her company is called Ev...
Jan 21, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 81
JJ Ramberg is the co-founder of Goodpods - the podcast centric social networking app where you can follow friends and influencers -- ranging from Malcolm Gladwell and Gwyneth Paltrow to Kim Kardashian and me (Kanika) -- to see what they’re listening to. Before this, JJ spent over a decade as the anchor of the show Your Business on MSNBC and she founded the mission-driven coupon company Goodshop which has donated more than $14 million to causes designated by its users. JJ has three kids ages 10, ...
Jan 14, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 80
I’m sure many of you know my guest by way of her popular podcast produced by Dear Media called Raising Good Humans. On her show, Dr. Aliza Pressman interviews parenting experts covering a gamut of topics from free range parenting to coping mechanisms for anxiety for kids of all ages. I am a supporter of Dear Media and a huge fan of her show. To give your more context into her experience and expertise, Dr. Aliza Waksal Pressman, Ph.D. received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, her ...
Jan 07, 2021•39 min•Season 2Ep. 79
There are many heroes that have made a substantial impact during the global pandemic. Veterans of sustainable product manufacturing, Co-Founders Marissa and Adam Goldstein, who founded Rafi Nova named after their two sets of twins and travel partners: Raya, Efi, Noa, and Eyva, quickly pivoted their business to give back. Known for their handcrafted bags, they began making 100% cotton face masks and donated 150,000 masks to frontline workers. Rafi Nova is a social enterprise on a mission to creat...
Dec 31, 2020•46 min•Season 2Ep. 78
According to Oberlo.com, there are currently 850,000 active podcasts and over 30 million podcast episodes out there across platforms like Apple Podcasts, cached on Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Anchor, GoodPods and more.. More than half of all US consumers above the age of 12 listen to podcasts and nearly 3 out of 4 podcast listeners say they tune in to learn new things. Are you toying the idea of launching your own podcast? Are you a thought leader in your field and want to know how to pi...
Dec 24, 2020•57 min•Season 2Ep. 77
Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could use your super powers to attract exactly what you want in life? Whether you are vying for that promotion, yearning to find love again, or praying for a child, you can manifest what you want. And my guest today can show you how. I am thrilled to have with me New York Times bestselling author, international speaker, and spiritual junkie, Gabrielle Bernstein on my show. In 2008, she founded HerFuture.com, a social networking and mentoring website for women. She h...
Dec 22, 2020•27 min•Season 2Ep. 76
