Listen to ‘Balancing business and marriage: the honest conversation no one’s having’ on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your player of choice

In today’s episode, I’m officially back on the mic and kicking things off with a raw, behind-the-scenes update. I’m sharing why I’m ditching polished intros, perfect editing, and long episodes in favor of a more real, voice-memo-style format that actually fits into the tiny pockets of life—for me and for you.

I also give a life update after seven months away, including postpartum realities, becoming a mom of two, finally having a home office I love, being flown out by Kajabi (still surreal), and diving headfirst into Christmas mode way too early.

Then I shift into a deeper conversation I’ve been having everywhere lately: what it truly looks like to balance motherhood, marriage, and running a thriving business—especially when you’re the primary income earner. I open up about navigating flipped household roles, my journey from wanting to be a stay-at-home mom to becoming the breadwinner, and how my husband and I are figuring out this season together.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why I’m simplifying my podcast format moving forward
• My postpartum season and life with two little girls
• The dynamic shift in my marriage as my business grew
• Wrestling with the question: “Can I be a present mom and run a successful business?”
• Finding examples of mothers who thrive in entrepreneurship
• How Gabe and I have navigated changing roles and seasons

Full transcription of episode:

“Hello, hello, hello. I am back, baby, and I’m kicking things off with a very personal, behind-the-scenes episode because why not? It is Radical Disruption, and nothing is more on brand than starting with real life, real business, and real conversations.

If you’re wondering why I’m back, why now, and why all the things are happening, I promise I’m breaking it all down in next week’s episode. But before I dive into today’s topic, I do want to point out something you probably already noticed if you’ve listened to past episodes: there is no intro. There will also be no outro. No fancy audio, no prerecorded message, none of the polished “podcast perfect” setup.

I decided that if I’m going to stay consistent with podcasting—especially while running a business, postpartum, raising two kids, and managing marriage and entrepreneurship at the same time—I have to drop the perfectionism. That means no scripted intro, no perfect outro, no “let me edit out this dead space or this breath or this awkward moment.” Honestly, when I listen to podcasts, I skip the intro anyway. So we’re just being real about how most of us actually listen.

The vibe I want moving forward is simple: I want you to feel like you’re sitting down with me, business-bestie style. If I were sending you a voice memo about entrepreneurship, motherhood, postpartum life, or work–life balance, that’s the exact energy I want this to have. In a voice memo, there’s dead space. There’s wind noise. There are moments where I say something and immediately think, “well… can’t take that back.”

So expect episodes that feel casual, unedited, and real. You might hear wind because Idaho is wildly windy. You might hear me thinking mid-sentence. You might hear the energy of “mom of two, postpartum, running a business” in the background. That’s the whole point. This format lets me show up without overthinking, and that’s the only way this podcast stays consistent.

Moving forward, episodes will be five to fifteen minutes. I’m in a very full season of life—kids, business, marriage, hobbies, everything—and I know so many of you are too. Most of us don’t have 45 or 60 minutes to sit through a long podcast, especially when the “meat and potatoes” usually happens halfway through. I want these episodes to fit into the nooks and crannies of your life: car pickup lines, nap windows, showers, errands, stroller walks, breastfeeding sessions… the real everyday moments where you can actually squeeze something in.

So from now on, you can expect quick episodes that get straight to the point and give you something actionable for your business, your mindset, or your life—without waiting 20 minutes for the good stuff.

Now let’s get into a quick life update, because it has been seven months since I recorded an episode. Somehow it feels like yesterday and also ten years ago.

I gave birth. It was a home birth—peaceful, magical, and everything I could have hoped for. If you ever want me to convince you to have a home birth, message me. I will happily send you a novel. My second baby, Ruth, is now four months old and officially not a newborn. She’s rolling over and starting to use her hands, which is adorable. Remy, my first baby, just turned two. I cannot talk about it for too long or I will cry, so we are moving right along.

I also finally have an actual decorated office. After four years in business, I have pin boards, a transparent whiteboard, good lighting, cute energy—an actual space that makes me excited to work. If you’re watching this on YouTube, I’m gesturing wildly behind me. If you’re not, just imagine me Vanna White-ing my office wall.

Another exciting update: I got flown to California for a Kajabi interview, which was so fun. And on a lighter, more chaotic note, Christmas is in full swing at my house. I literally started decorating on Halloween between sewing Bluey and Bingo costumes for my girls. My husband was like, “It is Halloween,” and I said, “I know, but it feels festive.” The next day, all Halloween décor came down and Christmas went up.

Now, onto why this topic is the comeback episode. Over the last few months, I’ve had the same conversation in so many places—my personal life, client calls, DMs, Q&A boxes, my broadcast channel—everywhere. And it makes sense because I’m postpartum with baby number two, and the conversation around balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, marriage, childcare support, business strategy, and overall identity is happening constantly.

I grew up always wanting to be a stay-at-home mom. I also love my business deeply. That brought up so many internal questions for me: can you have a deeply fulfilling business and be a present mom? Can you make great money, have impact, run your company, and still have a family life full of memories? Do those two things actually coexist?

For a long time, I didn’t think they did because so many industry leaders—especially the ones making multi-six, seven, or eight figures—either don’t have kids or don’t talk about the behind-the-scenes support in their home. Not because they’re hiding it, but because it’s simply not the front-facing focus of their content.

I needed examples. My mentor became one of the first. Then I sought out more women who were growing thriving businesses and were also moms. Jenna Kutcher was one of them—her husband is a stay-at-home parent, which I talk about all the time.

So here’s the simple, transparent truth about my own home and marriage dynamic: Gabe is a full-time dad right now. I work 15 to 20 hours a week, but those hours are spread across an entire day with constant interruptions, breastfeeding breaks, toddler meltdowns, and a lot of “okay, I have 20 minutes, let’s go.” I’m not sitting down for four uninterrupted hours. I’m weaving work between real mom life.

Gabe also manages our investments and used to day trade. He’s flexible, but he’s not working a traditional full-time job. And while our investments do make money, compared to my business income, it’s not the main provider. That will shift eventually—probably within the next year—but right now, this is our season. We’ve also been cautious about starting something new because his last business ended with a $700,000 loss. Yes, you heard that right. Yes, I say it casually now. There’s a whole linked episode about it.

I also want to share examples from my coach and my clients. My coach has a nanny five days a week from nine to three, and her husband works full time. One of my one-on-one clients has daycare Monday through Thursday from nine to four. Another friend runs her business full time, has a full-time working spouse, and has a nanny several days a week. And another friend splits babysitting costs with another mom so they both get work blocks without breaking the budget.

All this to say: support looks different for everyone. Childcare support doesn’t discredit anyone’s success. It simply paints a clearer picture of what’s realistic.

I used to think that if I needed help, I was failing. But in reality, having help makes me a better mom because I’m not trying to squeeze work into every second while also parenting. It allows me to be present when I’m with my kids instead of thinking about posts, launches, emails, stock market updates, or the 47 business tasks on my brain.

Support might look like a nanny, daycare, a spouse at home, or shared childcare. Or it might look like grocery delivery, hiring a house cleaner, paying someone to mow your lawn, or anything that lifts the load. It all counts. It all frees space for your business and your well-being.

And yes, I absolutely work in the nooks and crannies too. Right now, while recording this, I’m four days into being a solo parent while Gabe is in Mexico doing a dirt bike race. He’s gone for ten days—my busiest season of the year with a launch, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday happening. It’s 10 p.m. The kids are asleep. I’m recording before bed. I work during naps, early mornings, late nights, whenever I can.

If you’re in a season of squeezing work into cracks of time, you’re not doing it wrong. That is entrepreneurship for many moms.

I hope this episode gave you a clearer, more honest picture of how entrepreneurship and marriage coexist in my life, and how different it looks for every family. What your dynamic is today might not be your dynamic next year, or in three years, or in five. Mine has changed every single year of my business and will keep evolving.

If you ever want to ask questions about navigating roles, getting support, or exploring what’s best for your household and business, I am always here. And with that, I’m wrapping up before I ramble. Tune into next week’s episode where I share why I decided to bring the podcast back and all the juicy details.”

Resources & Links:

• Join Scalability
• 30 free selling on stories prompts
• Scaling Unlocked Mastermind Application
• Kajabi 30-day free trial + 2 bonuses
• Manychat
• IG University

Some of the links mentioned are affiliate links, which help to support this podcast at no additional cost to you.

Connect with Mya:

• Follow on Instagram @myanichol 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website
• Now on YouTube

More about the Radical Disruption podcast: 

Are you wanting to make waves in your industry, push the envelope, and change the way things are done in a radical way? Are you looking for tangible, tactical, and actionable steps that will help you build a sustainable business that stands out? You’re in the right place!

Radical Disruption is home to the disrupters. Here, you’ll learn how to take your business to the next level, break the status quo, and build a disruptive business.

Nursing student turned business and social media expert and host Mya Nichol (hey, that’s me!) shares the real and raw of the crazy journey of entrepreneurship and building a multi-six-figure business.

Through solo episodes and special guest interviews, you can expect honest conversations about throwing out the traditional way of business, scaling in a sustainable way, and becoming the go-to expert in your industry. It’s time to build a disruptive business. See you on Tuesdays!

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