Women Making Moves | Podcast on RSS.com

Women Making Moves

Women Making Moves

by Amy Pons

Entrepreneurship Social Sciences

Season 7

Insourcing Your Peace w/ Trishia Domingo

In this episode of Women Making Moves, host Amy Pons sits down with Trishia Domingo — confidence coach, award-winning model, and multidisciplinary leader — for a deeply personal conversation about identity, healing, and what it really means to feel at peace. Trishia shares how her work as a confidence coach centers on helping people, especially women, reconnect with the "magic" and brilliance that often gets conditioned out of them from childhood onward. The two explore how societal expectations shape girls from infancy, how generational patterns get passed down and challenged, and why the new generations are unlearning inherited beliefs about who they're allowed to be. The conversation turns to Trishia's work with the Eldest Daughters Collective, a racial healing justice organization supporting eldest and only daughters — many of them children of immigrants — who carry disproportionate emotional and logistical responsibility within their families. Trishia and Amy dig into the invisible weight of emotional labor, the exhaustion of hyperindependence, and why learning to receive support is just as important as giving it. 0:00 — Intro: Welcome to Women Making Moves, meet Tricia Domingo (confidence coach, model, Face of CBMA winner) 0:34 — Tricia's background in healthcare tech, Eldest Daughters Collective, Dream Photo House, Filipina on the Rise 0:53 — What is a confidence coach? Unlocking the "magic" in people 2:12 — How conditioning chips away at confidence starting in childhood 3:48 — Energetic conditioning from birth, generational shifts (Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z) 6:57 — Growing up in a "be seen, not heard" household; intergenerational healing 7:46 — Rethinking divine feminine/masculine — "the new human energy" 9:36 — What is the Eldest Daughters Collective? Origins and mission 11:52 — Hypervigilance, hyperindependence, and emotional labor of eldest daughters 15:34 — Women bearing the emotional load of the household ("expense report" thought experiment) 16:58 — Layoffs as a hidden gift; finding your own truth center 17:28 — Defining racial healing within the Eldest Daughters Collective 18:47 — What's next: new membership model, Shutterfest modeling, future YouTube channel 20:00 — "Find calm in 5 minutes a day" — breathwork, tactical pauses, and ADHD 22:30 — Finding "okayness" from within instead of external validation 25:15 — Why people avoid revisiting painful memories, and how coaching holds space 27:42 — Bridging ego and soul; releasing suppressed emotional energy 30:27 — Do you really want peace? Uncovering the deeper desire behind stated goals 33:50 — Grown adults still living by their parents' rules — "is that still true for you?" 36:11 — Where to find Tricia: Instagram @atasteoftrishia, thrivewithtrisha.com 36:33 — Closing thoughts and gratitude

HRT's...Where Are We? w/ Elizabeth Kelly

Menopause Care, Misinformation, and Advocacy: Nurse Betsy Returns Amy Pons welcomes back repeat guest Elizabeth “Nurse Betsy” Kelly, a board-certified adult geriatric primary care nurse practitioner with extensive ICU/ER experience, work with Doctors Without Borders in Ethiopia and Malawi, and 13 years serving nursing home patients at Sinai Chicago. They discuss rapid changes in midlife women’s health education and access to menopausal hormone treatment, emphasizing that the 2002 WHI study was widely miscommunicated, fueling fear of breast cancer and leaving many boomer women without treatment. Betsy explains that starting menopausal hormone treatment within 10 years of the last period can be protective, that transdermal estrogen reduces clot risks compared with oral forms, and that care is individualized; she notes FDA-approved indications and the lack of coverage and research for testosterone in women. They also address misinformation, holistic approaches alongside Western medicine, key supplements (magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3, L-methylfolate), and close with advocacy concerns about a 2026 federal student loan rule deeming nursing not a professional degree, restricting access to graduate programs. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:23 Why Womens Health Matters Now 02:35 Why Betsy Is Back 04:28 WHI Study and Lost Generation 07:34 Modern MHT Benefits 17:30 MHT vs HRT Explained 22:18 Testosterone and Insurance 26:42 Healthy Masculinity and Energy 33:12 Holistic Care Meets Medicine 36:12 Supplements That Help 41:52 Avoiding Wellness Snake Oil 43:07 Where to Find Betsy 44:18 Final Advocacy Call Find Nurse Betsy on Instagram and Facebook @Stay In Your Cortex, and at https://stayinyourcortex.com Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn. Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

Reset, Restore, Remember w/ Priyanka Venkataraman

Wayfinding Moms: Conscious Parenting, Cycle-Breaking, and Finding Your Inner Compass Host Amy Pons of Women Making Moves interviews Dr. Priyanka Venkataraman, a board-certified OBGYN, life and parent coach, and founder of Wayfinding Moms, about helping parents understand their nervous systems, break generational patterns, and build emotionally safe homes. They discuss “remembering” an inner truth center/inner compass, leaving mainstream career molds after breaking points, and how grief and discomfort can guide healing and course-correction. Dr. Priyanka describes conscious parenting as doing internal work to recognize triggers and projections from upbringing and ancestry, regulate the nervous system, and teach children emotional resilience and compassionate leadership rather than chasing quick behavior fixes. She shares creating “the village,” a monthly community gathering for women, and offering a 12-week group parenting program, and provides her website, wayfindingmoms.com, for calls and registration. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:02 Cycle Breaking and Lineage 04:22 Remembering Your Path 05:35 Inner Compass Wayfinding 07:39 Magic School and Truth 09:29 Parenting Without the Noise 10:18 Truth Center and Alignment 13:19 Grief and Course Correcting 14:59 Feeling Triggers to Heal 16:03 Ignoring the Body in Medicine 17:38 Breaking Point and Surrender 19:03 Ego After Leaving Work 19:57 Remembering What Matters 20:32 Earth School Talk With Kid 22:59 Wayfinders And Matriarchy 23:41 Building The Village 26:01 Lighthouse Healing Paradigm 27:46 Cycle Breaking And Boundaries 34:41 Conscious Parenting Explained 38:15 Schooling Choices And Values 40:17 Where To Find Wayfinding Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn. Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

Audacity and Authenticity w/ Sandhya Sudhakar

Women Making Moves — Episode: Audacity and Authenticity Guest: Sandhya Sudhakar — Certified Coach, Enneagram Practitioner, Speaker, Facilitator, Founder of Self At Work, and Host of the Working Your Way podcast. Host: Amy Pons — Founder of Unlock the Magic Coaching, Healing and Magic School Episode Summary: Amy sits down with Sandhya to explore what it means to show up authentically in the workplace and in life. They discuss the courage it takes to be direct, the tension between practicality and audacious dreaming, and how to navigate discomfort in a way that leads to real growth. Key Topics Discussed: Audacity as a guiding word — Sandhya shares why she chose "audacity" for 2026 and how she's learning to dream bigger and care less about others' perceptions. Directness vs. palatability — Both Amy and Sandhya reflect on being told to "achieve the same but be nicer," and the impossible double standard women face in the workplace. Self-abandonment and trade-offs — A nuanced conversation about when to walk away from misaligned work and when financial safety takes priority, and the long-term cost of forsaking yourself. The learning zone — Sandhya breaks down the comfort zone / learning zone / panic zone framework and how to discern good discomfort from harmful discomfort. Generational dynamics at work — How Boomers, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha each play a role in reshaping workplace culture. Enneagram in teams — How Sandhya uses the Enneagram to help high-achieving leaders diagnose team dynamics and lead more effectively. Speaking up and truth-telling — Amy shares a personal story about confronting inappropriate behavior and the backlash that followed. Where to Find Sandhya: Website: selfatwork.com Podcast: Working Your Way (available on YouTube and all audio platforms) Where to Find Amy: Website: https://unlockthemagic.org Instagram LinkedIn Closing Thought: "Having less so I could do more — simplifying, and going much bigger with fewer things." — Sandhya Sudhakar

Compassion in Medicine w/ Dr. Tamara Beckford

S7 Ep7 — Dr. Tamara Beckford Women Making Moves Podcast Host: Amy Pons, Founder of Unlock the Magic Coaching, Healing and Magic School Guest: Dr. Tamara Beckford — Board-certified emergency medicine physician, bestselling author, international speaker, and founder of Truly Balanced Wellness Care Episode Summary: Amy sits down with Dr. Tamara Beckford to explore the intersection of traditional medicine, holistic healing, and the powerful journey women experience through perimenopause and menopause. They discuss reclaiming the magic of womanhood, honoring the body's natural cycles, the importance of slowing down, and building an intentional life beyond the "go, go, go" mentality. Topics Covered: 3:23 Perimenopause — embracing the biological experience 5:49 Slowing down & the "to-feel list" 8:04 Sound baths, sacral womb healing & energy work10:00Healing beyond traditional medicine & the power of timeframes 14:57 Heart disease as a silent killer in women 18:26 Women pushing through pain & learned endurance 21:43 Generational shame around menstruation & naming your womb 25:04 Menopause as reemergence — wisdom, not decline30:00Writing your own story & challenging "I have to" 33:22 Dr. Tamara's telemedicine practice & expanding to 4 states 35:14 "Intentional outweighs impressive" — building a slower, richer life 41:02 What patients truly want — time, compassion, listening 44:00 Advice for finding the right care provider 47:06 Closing remarks — fierce, ferocious, and forging the next path Key Quotes: "How do you wanna feel?" — Amy on replacing the to-do list with a "to-feel list" "Intentional outweighs impressive every single day." — Dr. Tamara Beckford "Our body sheds, prepares, and renews for the next phase — over and over." — Dr. Tamara Where to Find Dr. Tamara Beckford: LinkedIn: Dr. Tamara Beckford Facebook: Dr. Tamara Beckford Instagram: Dr. Tamara Beckford TikTok: @trulybalancedwc Featured In: Fox 26, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Voyage Houston, LinkedIn News, Rolling Out Magazine, Kevin MD Books: Made For More, Made For More Too, Thriving After Burnout Practice: Truly Balanced Wellness Care — concierge telemedicine for menopausal care, hormone balancing, and weight care (serving Texas, Michigan, Georgia, and Iowa) Where to Find Amy, Women Making Moves, and Unlock the Magic: LinkedIn: Amy Pons, Unlock the Magic, Magic School, Women Making Moves Website: https://unlockthemagic.org Instagram: Unlock the Magic and Women Making Moves TikTok: @chicagosfavewitchycoach Please leave a rating and review on your favorite platform, thank you!

The Future of Working Motherhood w/ Alexa Starks

The Future of Working Motherhood: Flexibility, Ambition, and Real Support After Maternity Leave Amy Pons hosts Alexa Starks, maternity leave coach and founder of Executive Moms, to discuss reshaping maternity leave and return-to-work experiences and the findings from Executive Moms’ Future of Working Motherhood 2026 report. They reflect on the need to deconstruct harmful workplace systems, the lack of support for mothers returning from leave, and how simple supports like mentorship can improve retention. Alexa shares key data: 40% of women leave their job within a year of returning from maternity leave, yet 97% would stay if truly supported; the report also found no “ambition gap,” with mothers reporting equal or greater ambition after having kids. A major takeaway was that flexible work design (remote/hybrid/part-time) mattered more than longer leave. Alexa also previews a TED Talk in Rotterdam and the launch of Mothered Magazine. 01:09 Coaching and Paradigm Shift 03:02 Aha Moments in Corporate 05:22 Maternity Return Support Systems 06:48 Report Findings and Retention Stats 09:02 Ambition Gap Myth Debunked 11:43 Burnout and Hands On Work 13:54 Workplace Bullying and Boundaries 15:20 Surprising Data on Flexibility 16:56 Flexibility Tops Requests 17:15 Ambition And The 97 Percent 17:52 Survey Logistics And Reach 18:34 Return To Office Pushback 20:51 Why Leaders Cling To Control 22:42 TED Talk And Moving Abroad 25:04 Launching Mothered Magazine 27:04 Super Bowl Holiday Hypocrisy 28:46 Advice For The 97 And 40 31:06 Where To Find The Report 31:32 Feminine Strength Closing Find the 2026 'Future of Working Motherhood' report along with key updates from Executive Moms here, and follow Alexa on LinkedIn and Instagram. Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn. Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

Working Today with Bipolar Disorder w/ Breana Grayson

What Stability Really Requires: Breana Grayson on Bipolar Disorder, Stigma, and Support at Work Amy Pons hosts Women Making Moves and interviews writer Breana Grayson about living with bipolar disorder, what “stability really requires,” and the stigma and misunderstandings that still surround bipolar (“one of the ‘scary ones’”). Breana explains that medication is essential for her but not sufficient; stability also involves therapy, psychiatric care, consistent sleep, exercise, diet, and enjoyable practices like writing, guitar, and “therapy based kind of yoga,” and she defines stability as moving through life without derailing relationships or work. They discuss how menstrual cycles can affect symptoms, Breana’s use of cycle tracking and astrology to document patterns, and her diagnosis process at 25 through an intensive outpatient program after work and relationship difficulties. Brianna argues remote and flexible work are not favors but protect productivity, and she advocates proactive workplace support, education, and community so people don’t handle bipolar alone. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:47 Stability and Root Chakra 01:22 Bipolar Stability Routine 02:22 Redefining Normal 03:46 Yoga and Creative Coping 04:33 Bipolar Stigma Myths 05:46 Cycles Hormones Astrology 08:51 Sharing Her Story at 26 09:23 Diagnosis at 25 10:32 Screening and Medication Risks 11:58 Childhood Signs and School Support 14:58 Remote Work as Accommodation 17:51 Workplace Support Strategies 20:37 Mental Health Across Generations 25:21 Advice Find Community 27:04 Where to Follow and Closing

It's Time to Choose the Children w/ Dr. Nelva Lee

Dr. Nelva Lee on School Choice, Vocational Pathways, and Housing Solutions in Georgia Host Amy Pons welcomes Dr. Nelva Lee—healthcare and academic leader, former board appointee, author, and Georgia Superintendent of Schools candidate—who discusses the bleak realities of healthcare and education and her focus on solutions. Lee describes Concrete Build Financing, a crypto company backed by real estate aimed at countering private equity’s rent hikes by converting commercial multifamily properties into rent-to-own condos to promote stability, equity, and dignity. In education, she advocates expanding Georgia’s Promise Scholarship Act so more families—including homeschool and private-school families—can access broader learning environments, and she proposes every student graduate with both a diploma and a trade certificate. She cites post-COVID learning gaps, top-heavy education budgets, low reading and math proficiency rates, and calls for basics like phonics, targeted resources, and holding back non-readers by second grade. She also critiques HOPE Scholarship “bait and switch,” urging lower maintenance requirements and a college “star system,” and encourages limiting news, cultivating hope, and volunteering. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:13 Healthcare and Maternal Gaps 02:59 Crypto Real Estate Housing Plan 06:31 School Run and Voucher Expansion 10:36 COVID Learning Loss and Resources 15:25 Vocational Skills Over College 22:21 Hope Scholarship Reform Ideas 27:19 Hopeful Action and Volunteering 31:59 Where to Find Dr Lee 32:23 Final Thanks and Wrap Up Find all of Dr. Nelva's work on her website and follow along with her campaign! Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn. Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

What is the Redline w/ Isvari Maranwe

Isvari Maranwe on Impact-Focused Activism, Citizen Journalism, and Rebuilding Social Media Amy Pons, founder of Unlock the Magic, interviews Isvari Maranwe—Silicon Valley–raised tech leader and Georgetown-educated cybersecurity attorney—now based in London. Isvari is CEO and founder of YuVoice, a new social media company designed to reward users for tangible impact rather than a follower-driven influencer model, and CEO of The Sentinel by YuVoice, a nonprofit, ad-free, non-paywalled citizen journalism platform building an all-volunteer global press corps. They discuss the tension between professional success and the emotional toll of social justice work, the importance of boundaries, and prioritizing empowering people who want to make a difference over trying to convince those who won’t. Isvari shares her view that only about 1% of people truly shape society for good, making it critical to change social defaults and focus energy where it creates measurable impact. Isvari explains that YuVoice has closed a $1 million angel round and will launch in phases with nonprofit partners, focusing on “anti addictive algorithms” and mentally healthy design. The Sentinel’s mission is to break global news through local perspectives: “We believe that everybody can tell their story the best.” They critique for-profit media incentives and argue, “media needs to be a nonprofit.” 02:22 What’s on Your Heart: Success, Privilege & Staying Resourced 03:54 Stop Convincing the Unmoved: Empower the 1% Who Shape Society 06:35 From Righteous Rage to Real Impact (and Posting with Intention) 13:00 Why Outrage Doesn’t Translate to Action (and What Might) 18:32 What Happens When No One Wants the Baton? Work, Power & Consolidation 22:38 Global South activism & the myth that “they can’t modernize” 28:19 Borders, stolen land & rethinking indigeneity and migration 30:46 What is YuVoice? Building a healthier, impact-rewarding social platform 32:24 The Sentinel: citizen journalism, no ads, no paywalls, global perspectives 37:21 Escaping doomscrolling: joy, community, boundaries & anti-addictive tech 40:34 Where to follow, platform burnout & final call to find your purpose Follow Isvari on LinkedIn, check out The Sentinel, and follow along with YuVoice! Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn. Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

This Can't Be It...

Exploring Change and Manifestation with Megan Senese In this episode of Women Making Moves, host Amy Pons talks to Megan Senese, co-founder of Stage, a women-owned business development and marketing boutique. Megan shares her journey from leaving a high-paying law job to starting her own company with just $3,000. Megan also discusses her experience with manifestation, using a 'want circle' to visualize her goals, and emphasizes the importance of aligning personal energy with desires to manifest intentions effectively. Furthermore, the episode touches on the challenges and systemic issues faced by lawyers and nurses, and the significance of maintaining one's well-being. The conversation concludes with Megan highlighting Stage's focus on creating authentic, balanced, and meaningful connections for lawyers looking to develop their business sustainably. 00:00 Introduction to Women Making Moves 00:19 Meet Megan Senese: From Big Law to Boutique Business 00:48 Texas Bar Association Changes 01:35 Megan's Career Journey and Personal Growth 03:58 The Power of Manifestation 04:45 The 'I Want' Circle Exercise 07:38 Aligning Goals with Personal Truth 12:50 Challenges in the Legal and Healthcare Systems 15:47 Creating a Balanced Life and Career 20:35 The Role of Energy and Intuition 23:50 Stage's 2026 Vision and Values 27:28 Supporting Lawyers and Legal Marketers 29:45 Closing Thoughts on Magic and Manifestation Find Megan on LinkedIn and through her podcast, "So Much to Say". Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on Instagram and Bluesky. Visit Amy at Unlock the Magic, and follow on Instagram and LinkedIn. Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.

1 of 17