In this expansive and deeply inspiring episode, I sit down with marketing consultant, priestess-in-training, and dear friend, Nicole Buddin, to explore what it really means to build and lead from a more feminine paradigm.

Together, we trace the lineage of feminine leadership — from the ancient priestess temples to modern entrepreneurship — and unpack why so many women today are feeling called to lead with more intuition, creativity, collaboration, and flow. Nicole shares her perspective on what the old feminine leadership structures looked like, why they worked, and how we can bring those principles into our businesses now.

We dive into:
✨ The difference between masculine and feminine business energetics
✨ Why the patriarchy is actually a very recent blip in human history
✨ How intuition, inspiration, and creativity drive innovation
✨ What a synarchy is — and why it may be the leadership model of the future
✨ How shared leadership amplifies impact, sustainability, and momentum
✨ The mindset shifts required to collaborate instead of compete
✨ Why clarity, communication, and self-awareness are essential for co-leadership
✨ How embracing both structure and flow creates a more aligned business

This conversation is equal parts historical, visionary, and grounded. Nicole brings wisdom from her priestess path and her corporate background to offer a beautifully balanced approach to business — one that honors the full spectrum of who we are as women and leaders.

If you’ve been craving a more intuitive, relational, and spacious way to grow your work in the world, this episode will resonate deeply.

In this deeply honest and compassionate conversation, I sit down again with the No B.S. Therapist for Moms, Kris Hernandez to explore the identity shifts that come with motherhood — and why those shifts feel so disorienting, emotional, and transformative.

We talk about how becoming a mother can activate old wounds, reshape our relationships, and bring our childhood experiences into sharp focus. Kris shares why no two motherhood journeys ever look the same, how projection plays into the stories we tell ourselves, and why so many women feel lost, overwhelmed, or “not themselves” after having kids.

Together, we explore:
✨ How our own upbringing and attachment patterns shape the way we mother
✨ Why motherhood can feel like both a loss and an expansion of identity
✨ The expectations we inherit — and the ones we place on ourselves
✨ Repairing with our children and with ourselves
✨ Why comparing ourselves to other mothers keeps us disconnected
✨ The power of compassion, curiosity, and capacity in modern parenting
✨ What it really looks like to break cycles without expecting perfection

Kris brings so much clarity and gentleness to the complexities of being a mother in this generation — one that is more aware, more resourced, and yet more pressured than ever before.

This conversation is validating, grounding, and filled with moments that make you exhale and think, “Oh… it’s not just me.”

You can find Kris online at OliveBranchMentalHealth.com and @olivebranchmentalhealth on social media. Her practice is located at 1020 S. Arlington Heights Rd in Arlington heights.

In this raw and deeply relatable conversation, I sit down once again with Jenn Borrel — sewing educator, creative, and one of the most thoughtful humans I know — to talk about perfectionism: where it comes from, how it shows up, and why so many of us struggle with it more than we realize.

This episode grew out of a real-life moment between us — one of those days where self-doubt hits hard and the inner critic is loud. Jenn held space for me that day, and the clarity and honesty she shared about her own perfectionism invited a much bigger, more universal conversation:

• Why are we so hard on ourselves?
• Why do we expect more from ourselves than we ever would from anyone else?
• And how do we soften that edge without losing our standards, our care, or our creativity?

Together, we explore the roots of perfectionism in people-pleasing, judgment, internalized expectations, and the cultural pressure to constantly prove our worth. We talk about the difference between parts of us that react out of fear and the grounded “Self energy” that responds with compassion and curiosity. We look at the pressures of being a business owner, a parent, a creative — and why so much of what we label as “failure” is actually just data.

Jenn shares beautifully about teaching kids and adults, and how she helps them release the pressure to be perfect — even while working on that same practice in herself. This conversation is gentle, validating, and so very human.

If you’ve ever felt like you should be doing more… doing better… or getting it “right” the first time, this episode will let you know you’re not alone.

If you want to connect with Jenn’s classes and private lessons, you can find her on social media at @and_sew_on_studio on instagram, Facebook or on her website at andsewonstudio.com

Join Emma Mulvany on the Rising Together podcast as she chats with Beth Schneider, a talented creative designer and entrepreneur.

Discover Beth's inspiring journey from interior architecture to launching her own graphic design business. Learn about her creative process, the importance of community, and her future aspirations.

Explore Beth's insights on balancing work and family life, and find out how her designs have made a mark in the industry. Don't miss this engaging conversation with a visionary in creative design.

Connect with Beth Schneider:

• Website: Beth Schneider Designs
• Instagram: @BethSchneiderDesigns

In this soulful conversation, I sit down with Gina Martirano — yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner, and founder of Empathic — to explore what it really means to build a business rooted in empathy, intention, and community.

We talk about her journey from corporate burnout to curating a shop that uplifts women-owned, minority-owned, family-owned, and small-batch makers — and why supporting these brands is about so much more than buying a product. It’s about storytelling, connection, and remembering that our energy matters.

Gina shares how she uses her empathic gifts as a strength in both business and healing work, and how she creates authentic safe spaces for others to be seen, heard, and supported. Together, we dive into the power of collaboration over competition, the rising demand for mindful, quality-made products, and the deeper emotional and energetic realities of being an empath in a fast-moving world.

This episode is a beautiful reminder that our sensitivity is not a burden — it’s a superpower.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Empathy is a superpower. Gina reframes empathic traits as gifts — the capacity to hold space, offer compassion, and truly see people.
• Storytelling matters. Every product she carries has a maker, a mission, and an energetic imprint worth honoring.
• Community over competition. Gina shares how collaboration among women-owned businesses fuels collective growth.
• Energetic boundaries are essential. Rituals, intention-setting, and visualization help empaths hold space without absorbing others’ emotions.
• Quality > quantity. Consumers are craving intentional, meaningful items — not disposable purchases.
• Creating safe space is an act of empowerment. Safety isn’t something we “give” someone; it’s something we create conditions for through presence, openness, and respect.
• Supporting small businesses is world-changing. Where we spend our money is a reflection of our values — and a lever for cultural and economic impact.

You can find Gina and her store Empathic online at https://shopempathic.com. You can also find her products at various boutiques in the Chicago suburbs including at Lumi Studio & Shoppe in Mount Prospect.

You can also find her on social media @shop.empathic

In this deeply nourishing conversation, I sit down with Maya — holistic skincare founder, aesthetician, face yoga instructor, and one of the original spark-lighters behind this podcast — to explore what it truly means to reconnect with our feminine nature.

Maya shares her journey from medical-spa aesthetics to holistic skincare, and how becoming a mother, a business owner, and a cyclical woman reshaped her entire approach to beauty and wellness. We talk about skincare as ritual, the emotional and energetic layers stored in the face, the healing power of touch, and why women aren’t meant to live in hustle mode.

She breaks down the magic of face yoga, lymphatic drainage, and plant-based ingredients in a way that’s both accessible and profound — reminding us that beauty isn’t something we chase externally, but something we return to internally.

This episode is a reclamation of softness, slowness, and sacred self-care — not as a chore, but as a practice that reconnects us to our bodies, our emotions, and our truest selves.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Skincare can be a ritual, not a task. Mindful touch, intention, and presence transform routine into reconnection.
• Women aren’t designed for constant output. Our bodies function cyclically — and honoring that leads to more peace, energy, and creativity.
• Face yoga is powerful. It tones muscles, improves circulation, releases tension, and can emotionally liberate stored stress, grief, or unspoken words.
• Natural ingredients work with the body. Plant-based skincare absorbs more effectively and supports the skin without harsh irritants.
• We hold emotions in our face. The jaw stores unspoken truth, the forehead holds overthinking, the eyes reflect creativity and joy — releasing tension can release emotion.
• Joy is medicine. Reclaiming playfulness and genuine delight reconnects us with our humanity.
• Holistic beauty is mind-body-spirit work. It’s about feeling good in your skin, not just looking good in it.

You can find Maya, her products, and offerings online at tarlicosmetics.com where you can peruse her products and upcoming Face Yoga workshops, You can also find her products at various boutiques and wellness locations in the Chicago suburbs, including Ash & Willow Eco Salon in Park Ridge and Lumi Studio & Shoppe in Mount Prospect.

You can also find her on social media @tarlicosmetics.

This week, I sit down with Jenn Borrell, founder of And Sew On, a stitch studio bringing sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, and all things fiber arts to Arlington Heights and beyond.

Jen shares how a childhood of cross-stitch with her mom, a 17-year career in metadata and taxonomy, and one loud nudge from intuition led her from corporate burnout to teaching hands-on creativity in community spaces. We talk honest entrepreneurship - the real rollercoaster, the “burn-it-down” days (hello, pajama-pants-elastic saga), and the power of asking for feedback instead of spiraling. You’ll hear how craft becomes grounding in a phone-addled world, why imperfect stitches can build real confidence (especially for kids), and how starting with beginners can seed a thoughtful path to growth.

If you’ve been craving a slower, more tactile life - or a reminder that mistakes are simply data - this one feels like exhale.

• Imperfect > impossible: How letting go of perfection turns “I can’t” into “I made this!”—for kids and adults alike.
• Ride the waves, gather data: A practical reframe for the entrepreneurial lows—survey, learn, iterate—so the next class (or launch) runs smoother.
• Start close to home: Why beginning with accessible spaces, beginner curricula, and community partners (like a park district) builds sustainable momentum.

Jenn has generously created an exclusive discount code for Rising Together listeners, good for 15% off any class or lesson at And Sew On Studio. Use code: RISING15 before December 31st to redeem.

If you want to connect with Jenn’s classes and private lessons, you can find her on social media at @and_sew_on_studio on Instagram, Facebook or on her website at andsewonstudio.com.

Welcome to the very first episode of Rising Together: Local Women Leading Differently! In this solo kickoff, host Emma Mulvany shares the story behind the podcast and the movement it represents. Born out of coffee chats with local women entrepreneurs, Rising Together exists to shift the narrative from competition to collaboration, from scarcity to stewardship, and from polished perfection to vulnerable truth.

In this episode, I outline the three core layers that shape the podcast:

• celebration and collaboration over competition
• resourcing and visibility for women-led businesses
• the power of vulnerability to create authentic connection.

If you’ve ever felt alone in your work, questioned your worth, or wished there was more space for women to lead differently, this conversation will feel like a deep breath.