Are you really burned out, or are you just boxed in by expectations, structures, and systems that no longer serve you? In this episode, Nicole Kehl, CPA, sits down with CPA MOMS founder Mayumi Young to explore the powerful difference between true burnout and the feeling of being stuck. They unpack how to recognize each, why it matters, and what you can do to move forward with clarity and confidence. If you’ve been feeling drained or disconnected, this conversation will help you name what’s reall...
Jun 29, 2025•27 min
Leaving a steady job to start your own practice can feel terrifying, especially when everyone around you calls it “safe.” In this episode, Nicole Kehl and Mayumi Young explore the truth behind that fear and challenge the belief that traditional employment offers more security than entrepreneurship. If you’ve been thinking about starting your own firm but find yourself hesitating, this episode will give you a new perspective on what that fear really means and how it might actually be a signal tha...
Jun 25, 2025•29 min
In this episode, we reflect on the evolution of CPA MOMS and the power of gratitude in both business and motherhood. Host Nicole Kehl welcomes founder Mayumi Young to talk about the journey behind the brand, what’s next for the community, and how staying grounded through transition can unlock new levels of purpose and leadership. Whether you’re in a season of growth or change, this episode offers a moment to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what matters most. Enjoyed this episode? Join a netwo...
Jun 20, 2025•35 min
No matter how smart, hardworking, or experienced you are, there’s still that little voice in your head saying, "Who do you think you are?" If you’ve ever felt like you’re just "lucky" to have your job or that one day, people will figure out you don’t really know what you’re doing, you’re not alone. This feeling has a name—imposter syndrome—and it’s way more common than you think. It’s that sneaky doubt that makes you question if you’re actually good at what you do, even when all the evidence say...
Jun 08, 2025•19 min
In 2001, Lisa Druxman became a mom and an entrepreneur. She was looking for a way to blend her passion for fitness with motherhood. “I decided to create a workout that I could do with my baby,” she recalls. “I didn’t want to miss a moment of his new life but also knew that I needed to take care of myself.” Lisa created an exercise routine for new moms and realized that other mothers would benefit from working together to restore their well-being. Now she leads a business that brings exercise, co...
Jun 01, 2025•21 min
Let’s talk about something that often gets overlooked when life gets busy—how your home feels. I don’t mean how clean or organized it is. I mean whether it feels like a soft place to land after a long day or just another place filled with demands and noise. This matters because your home should be more than just a roof over your head or a place to crash. It should feel like the one space in the world where you can truly exhale. A place where you, and everyone you love, can let down their guard a...
May 25, 2025•21 min
Life as a working mom can be nonstop, can’t it? There’s always another task, another deadline, another person who needs your attention. Somewhere in the chaos, it’s easy to lose sight of what makes you feel good. Maybe you’ve thought about taking a break or even dreamed of a spa day or a quiet weekend, but the idea fades because it feels like too much effort—or too much to ask. Here’s the thing: it’s not about the retreat being perfect or extravagant. It’s about creating a moment for yourself th...
May 18, 2025•19 min
Here’s the thing—your son is always watching, even when it doesn’t seem like it. He’s noticing how you juggle work, family, and all the other responsibilities on your plate. He’s paying attention to how you handle tough moments, how you celebrate wins, and how you show up every single day. What do you think he’s learning from all of that? We often think about the messages we’re sending to our daughters, but our sons are soaking up just as much. Have you ever stopped to wonder what he’s learning ...
May 11, 2025•20 min
With Mother’s Day in a week, I decided that for the next two weeks I’m going to talk about the impact of working moms on daughters and on sons. This week I'm just focusing on daughters, but if you don’t have a daughter, I would still listen in because, let's face it, you are a daughter and you never know what you might discover. And if you have a daughter like I do, I want to talk about something that’s probably crossed your mind as a working mom: how your career is impacting your daughter. It’s...
May 04, 2025•23 min
Being a working mom can feel like a never-ending juggling act. When my children were younger, I remember that some days, it was like no matter how early I woke up or how much I planned, there was still too much to do and not enough time to do it. I know I’m not the only one who’s felt this way. You start the day with the best intentions, but by the time it’s over, you’re wondering where all the hours went and why you still feel behind. It’s exhausting. And let’s be honest—sometimes it feels like...
Apr 27, 2025•23 min
What if you could wake up knowing exactly what needed to get done instead of feeling like you were already behind? What if you could make life run more smoothly without adding more to your plate? The good news is, setting up better systems isn’t complicated. You don’t need fancy planners, expensive apps, or hours of extra time. All you need is a simple way to organize things so that your brain isn’t working overtime trying to remember everything. Once you have that, life gets easier—without you ...
Apr 20, 2025•20 min
Think about the last time you laughed so hard with a friend that it felt like a weight was lifted off your shoulders. When was the last time you felt truly understood without having to explain yourself? These are the kinds of connections that can keep us grounded, even when life feels chaotic. Yet, for so many moms, it feels like friendships belong in the “someday” pile—the pile of things we’ll get to once everything else is done. But let’s be honest: when is everything ever done? What if findin...
Apr 13, 2025•23 min
Have you ever left work at a reasonable time to pick up your kids and felt like you were being silently—or not so silently—judged? Maybe a coworker makes a snide comment, or you get that look from someone as if to say, “Must be nice to leave early.” The thing is, juggling work and family is already hard enough without feeling like you’re under a microscope. You’re trying to do your best for your family and your career, but somehow, it never feels like enough. It’s exhausting, and it can leave yo...
Apr 06, 2025•20 min
Let’s talk about what it’s like to feel stuck in a job you can’t quit. It’s one of those things that can weigh on you every single day, making it hard to focus on anything else. You might feel like you’re just going through the motions, clocking in and out, while wishing things could be different. Maybe you’ve told yourself, “I have no choice,” or “It’s just how things are right now.” If you’ve ever felt like this, you’re not alone. So many people, especially moms balancing work and family, feel...
Mar 30, 2025•21 min
Have you ever thought about all the things you’ve done in the past year alone? Not just the big milestones but the small victories that probably felt insignificant at the time but added up to something incredible. Sometimes, we need a little nudge to stop and acknowledge ourselves. That’s where the idea of a Reverse Bucket List comes in—a simple way to see your life through a more compassionate and celebratory lens. So, here’s my question for you: If you wrote down all the moments you’re proud o...
Mar 23, 2025•20 min
Have you ever noticed how your brain can latch onto a single thought and refuse to let go? Maybe it’s replaying an awkward moment, overthinking something you said, or obsessing about what someone else might be thinking. It’s like a broken record, looping over and over, and no matter how hard you try, it just won’t stop. This kind of mental replay can be exhausting. It’s not just draining your energy—it’s stealing your time and focus too. You sit there, caught up in the loop, wishing your brain h...
Mar 16, 2025•22 min
As moms and accountants, we often feel like we’re always running to keep up. There are deadlines to meet, kids to care for, and piles of things—both literal and figurative—demanding our attention. It’s easy to feel stretched thin and wonder if there’s another way. What if simplifying your surroundings could make life feel more manageable? What if letting go of the unnecessary could give you more time, energy, and peace of mind? Think about how much better you feel when you walk into a clean, org...
Mar 09, 2025•22 min
Have you ever wished that self-doubt would disappear and you'd be able to do what you want, when you want? Well, what if self-confidence isn’t something you have to earn, but something you can create right now? Many people wait for external validation—like a promotion or praise—before feeling confident, but that approach keeps confidence just out of reach. True self-confidence isn’t about knowing everything or proving yourself first; it’s about trusting your ability to figure things out along th...
Mar 02, 2025•24 min
Have you ever stopped to think about the things you’re doing now that once felt completely out of reach? It’s amazing how often we achieve things we didn’t think we could—until we actually did. Maybe it’s juggling work and motherhood when you used to wonder how anyone did both. Or maybe it’s tackling a job you once thought you weren’t qualified for, managing a household during chaotic weeks, or handling a tough situation you never imagined you’d get through. But here’s the thing: how often do we...
Feb 23, 2025•24 min
Have you ever noticed how some thoughts just keep popping up, even when you’re not trying to think them? It’s like they’re on autopilot, running quietly in the background while you go about your day. And it’s not just the good thoughts, either. It’s often the worries, the doubts, and those sneaky self-criticisms that feel like they’ve set up camp in our minds. As moms, we juggle so much, and it can feel like our minds are always full. We’ve got thoughts about the kids, work, our relationships, a...
Feb 16, 2025•22 min
What if I told you there’s a hidden factor behind why some days feel productive while others feel like a constant battle? It’s not time management strategies or fancy apps—it’s your emotions. Think about it—have you ever felt scattered, struggling to focus, only to realize later it was because of stress? Or felt guilty about work-life balance, and that guilt kept distracting you? These emotions steal our time and energy without us even noticing. If we want to get more done in less time, we have ...
Feb 09, 2025•22 min
Have you ever walked away from a conversation with someone and felt this weird mix of guilt, frustration, or even self-doubt, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on why? Maybe it was something subtle, like a comment that left you wondering if you’ve somehow let them down. Or maybe they just hinted that you should be doing something differently, and suddenly, you’re questioning yourself. I think we’ve all been there – those moments when someone’s words stick with us in a way that doesn’t feel ...
Feb 02, 2025•25 min
Have you ever wished you had just a little extra space in your life? Not more things to do, but more room to do them—more breathing room between tasks, more time to pause, and more energy left at the end of the day? If that idea sounds like a distant dream, you’re in good company. For so many working moms, especially those of us in demanding professions like accounting, the concept of having space in your life can feel like a luxury you just don’t have. But what if creating this kind of space—wh...
Jan 26, 2025•23 min
Let’s talk about something we all think about as working moms—how our work life affects our kids. It’s one of those topics that can stir up a mix of emotions: guilt, worry, and maybe even a little pride. If you’ve ever wondered how to make things easier for your kids when you’re busy, you’re in good company. The truth is, being a working mom is a balancing act that can feel impossible some days. You want to do your best at work and at home, but sometimes it feels like there just isn’t enough of ...
Jan 19, 2025•21 min
We’ve all been there: a day packed with tasks, meetings, and responsibilities, yet somehow, at the end of it, we’re left wondering, “What did I actually accomplish?” You’re putting out fires all day long, crossing items off your to-do list, but there’s still that nagging feeling that you didn’t touch the things that truly matter—those goals that feel just out of reach. No matter how hard you work, the important things seem to keep getting pushed to tomorrow, next week, or even further down the r...
Jan 12, 2025•25 min
If you’ve been following the CPA MOMS Podcast, you might know that I’ve interviewed Nicole Kehl twice - once as a new franchisee and once after her first year running her firm. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing her in her very exciting new role - as the new CEO of CPA MOMS! Nicole is a mom of two from Kentucky and became CPA MOMS' fourth founding franchisee, having previously struggled with building her own practice and having the support and training she needed In this interview, we ...
Jan 05, 2025•35 min
As working moms, we juggle so much—careers, families, relationships, and personal goals. It’s easy to feel like real change is out of reach. But here’s the thing: the problem isn’t that you’re not trying hard enough. It’s that most of us focus on what we do—our habits or routines—without addressing what’s driving them. The truth is, lasting change doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from understanding the why behind your actions. Without addressing what’s happening beneath the surface, it’s l...
Dec 29, 2024•28 min
You know how planning always sounds like a great idea? You picture yourself with this perfectly organized schedule, effortlessly gliding through your day, getting everything done, and still having time to relax. But then reality hits, and it feels like no matter how hard you try, planning just doesn’t work the way you want it to. Today, I want to let you in on five secrets that can completely change the way you think about planning. These aren’t the typical “plan your day the night before” tips ...
Dec 22, 2024•19 min
As a working mom, it’s easy to feel like you’re juggling a million things at once—work deadlines, family obligations, holiday preparations, and somehow trying to squeeze in a little time for yourself. It can often feel like no matter how much you do, there’s always something left on your to-do list, and with that comes the sneaky feeling that you should be doing more. Sound familiar? But here’s the thing: as moms, we often forget to step back and recognize everything we’ve already accomplished. ...
Dec 15, 2024•19 min
e’ve all been there—whether it’s a coworker, a family member, or even a fellow parent, some people just seem to drain our energy. As a working mom, your plate is already overflowing, and dealing with people who constantly bring negativity or stress into your life can feel like the last straw. It’s tempting to call these individuals “toxic” and hope that avoiding them will make things better. But have you ever noticed that even when you distance yourself, they still seem to occupy space in your m...
Dec 08, 2024•23 min
