An Interview With Melissa Llarena

Welcome to Episode 213. Are you a mom entrepreneur who struggles with impostor syndrome,  wants to nip overwhelm in the bud, wishes to realize the power of networking and/or wants to turn her business and mom life AROUND in 2024? If yes then hit PLAY. Say hi to me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ This is a recording from my free webinar that I conducted on January 9th, entitled Mom Mogul Makeover. You’ll hear how you can put the insights enclosed in my bestselling book Fertile Imagination into action as a mom with a business. This conversation goes beyond any expected insights on productivity, goal-setting, and motherhood. It’s for moms who seek a fresh perspective that's plugged into reality. It’s also perfect for you if you know entrepreneurship is the journey you wish to pursue wholeheartedly for more than three years. Oh, also listen to the end, there is a free opportunity for those listening until the end exclusively for moms with their own businesses.  To take advantage of that op

This episode is brought to you by Mom Mogul Makeover happening today on 1/9 for free.   There is still time to SIGN-UP: https://witty-thinker-2643.ck.page/7e884a0f0a   If you are like me then perhaps you are getting ready for your kids to return to school very soon and your plan is to hit the ground running. I know this is my plan as a mom of three. This is why I want to invite you to a LIVE 20-minute webinar entitled Mom Mogul Makeover 1/9 at 12pm CST.   The idea is to share the best wisdom I’ve gathered as a podcaster, bestselling author, and executive coach to ensure that you are running in the right direction, at the right pace, and are challenging yourself to gather more miles with fewer steps. Does that make sense? If this is something that resonates with you then sign-up: https://witty-thinker-2643.ck.page/7e884a0f0a   This webinar is perfect for you if deep down in your heart you wish you could achieve your five-year goals in one. Come to imagine the possibilities even if you struggle with impostor sy

Welcome to Episode  211. It's 2024. So now you've got to hit the ground running. You've got to go towards your ambitions and everything seems to be in sync. And I want you to feel energized. We all do. I am so on your side and I'm thrilled that you're here to celebrate 2024. So this conversation is with Meryl Cook and she is a creative person whom I admire. She's a writer, an author herself, and she does something called hooking. Now get your mind out of the gutter. It has to do with yarn and creating beautiful designs. What a wonderful woman and conversation that might be best enjoyed with a mom friend. That was a hint because we’ll get into some thoughts on making more mom friends and what to look for in them too. Ultimately, think about this episode as a helpful reminder for 2024. What if you had mom friends that were ahead of you? And what if you had a handful that also reminded you that you get to play too? That is what Meryl and I talked about in this conversation. This is the last chat in my series tha

Welcome to Episode 210. We're going to talk with Margot Bisnow, who wrote the book, Raising an Entrepreneur: How to Help Your Children Achieve Their Dreams - 99 Stories from Families Who Did. What I love about this conversation is that there are so many moms behind us, and there are also moms ahead of us. This includes moms who have authored books too! Moms to young men as well. The available mom mentors are truly plenty and for that I’m grateful to have had so many book launch conversations like today’s. In this one, Margot Bisnow asked me what I personally learned about myself, about my family, and about writing. If you think you have a book in you and you really mean it then tune into our conversation as it will astound you in terms of what I learned and you could too in 2024! If you love parties then please do say hi on Instagram which was where this party took place: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Shop/gift/review - Fertile Imagination: https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu TRANSCRIPT When I wrote Fertile I

Welcome to Episode 209. In today's episode, you are going to hear how I landed some big-name podcast guests on this podcast Unimaginable Wellness. You’ll hear from Beth Nydick, the creator of the F.A.M.E Formula. This conversation happened on my book launch day for Fertile Imagination. Beth Nydick is a PR expert. Definitely check her out. She is the type of mom who, like me, loves a good dare. As it relates to my book launch in October, a dare might be the key to your success. I want to invite you to consider that as the holiday season continues. You might need the jolt of energy that a good dare provides. What if you do show up to a holiday party with PR movers and shakers? Can that distinguish you? You’ll want to listen to this chat and take notes! The art of daring yourself to do things has worked for me, and it might work for you.  If you love parties then please do say hi on Instagram which was where this party took place: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Shop/gift/review - Fertile Imagination:

Welcome to Episode 208. Christmas is drawing near. My twins are soon going to be 10 years old. This is a huge moment for my family and I can imagine yours too. A moment of chaos and stress in a lot of ways. Hence, this is why I wanted to share with you an amazing conversation that I had with Jenna Hermans Hermans, who is the Queen of Calm and the author of Chaos to Calm: 5 Ways Busy Parents Can Break Free from Overwhelm. Jenna Hermans interviewed me on book launch day for Fertile Imagination, my debut book for moms who want to stretch the power of their imagination so that they can use it for maximum impact. It was a conversation that I thought would make perfect sense timing wise because WE’RE in the thick of a cyclical season of motherhood in the sense that the holidays require so much of us and it might feel overwhelmingly chaotic. Hence, my hope is that this conversation offers some ideas on how you can remain calm, but you can do more than that...you can celebrate yourself, celebrate other moms, and you

Welcome to Episode 207. In today's conversation, I actually had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Lana Ashby Rowder, the founder of LookingGlass Lifestyle, which is about styling yourself and leveraging technology in order to make this wonderful, wonderful gift of aesthetics, a possibility for every single person. I wanted to just share something before we jump in. Lana and I met at a library. It was me talking to strangers which brought us together. She helped me pick out the style that made sense for my book cover of Fertile Imagination. Cool, right? This conversation was on book launch day, and I'm sharing that with you because there was so much excitement in terms of the possibilities of this book. Also, the book managed to get to position one in the motherhood category and also number one in women in business as an Amazon bestseller.  If you love parties then please do say hi on Instagram which was where this party took place: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Shop/gift/review - Fertile Ima

Welcome to Episode 206. We're going to talk with Laura Carney, my copyeditor, who is not herself a mom, but really understands what it's like to nurture big dreams. You're going to love this conversation. It happened on book launch day, and she actually helped me take this book to the finish line. So I'm very grateful to her. She wrote My Father's List. And you will love to see her investigative journalism skills at play.  If you love parties than please do say hi on Instagram which was where this party took place: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Shop/gift/review - Fertile Imagination: https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu TRANSCRIPT I wanted to share something with you. You may not know this, but if you shopped the book, Fertile Imagination, and you enjoyed it, I would love to see your written Amazon review. The reason is that Amazon really does value whether a book has a hundred or more Amazon reviews. And what it'll do is it'll make it a suggested product. And it's so important in terms of being timely because

Welcome to episode 205. In today's episode, we're going to talk about priorities and also how family comes first, and it's appropriate for Thanksgiving week. If you feel like there's a lot of conflicting priorities in your mind this week. You are not alone. This conversation is a clip from the IGTV lives that I did on my book launch day back in Halloween with Zanny B Davis from the UK. She's an online course creator, coach, and Christian who is also a podcaster.  If you love parties than please do say hi on Instagram which was where this party took place: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Shop/gift/review - Fertile Imagination: https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu TRANSCRIPT I want to just share with you before we go into the conversation with Zanny, a review that is already on Amazon. And I'm so, so grateful for, so this is what the review says. Fertile imagination is a fantastic book for moms and caregivers who feel stuck and need support in activating  what is important to them. I'm so glad to have read the boo

Welcome to episode 204. Today's episode, you're going to hear from Bethany Braun Silva, who interviewed me on Fertile Imagination's launch day on Halloween. Bethany is the author of Like a Mother, Banish Guilt, Blaze Your Trail, and Break the Rules to Create a Life You Love. It's amazing to be interviewed by a fellow mom, author, and New Yorker. We discussed how watching our moms go first really informed how we, and what we thought we were capable of as moms. I wanted to just share this. So this episode is brought to you by my book, fertile imagination, which actually hit number one, Amazon bestseller in two categories. motherhood and women in business. It's available right now and it makes for the perfect gift. Shop/gift/review - Fertile Imagination: https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu If you enjoy this episode then tell me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ TRANSCRIPT So quick napkin math. Here's the statistics. Reviews on Amazon matter and when they show up matters even more. Right now, the books

Alaina was an early reader of Fertile Imagination. She shared her thoughts on the book, which she found refreshing and a book that didn’t feel like work. We delved into her thoughts on being creative, whether in her old career in tech and now as a yoga instructor. We also got into her raw and honest opinion on post-partum and navigating OCD along with her journey back to herself. We ended with why it might be urgent for you to return to yourself so you can help others who might be going through what you may have overcome. I think the book can help, and that’s the intention behind this episode. If you look in the show notes, you will find a list of resources if you or someone you know is experiencing post-partum depression and/or OCD symptoms. This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination: A Guide For Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower For Maximum Impact – My book is now available on Amazon in its paperback version and Kindle format. Grab a free chapter on www.fertileideas.com.  DM me on Instagram @meli

Today is LAUNCH DAY.  Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower for Maximum Impact is available on Amazon and ready for you to shop at 10 am EST today! https://amzn.to/3F6AgMu Join me today from now until 6 pm EST for an exciting launch day celebration! Together, we can make a powerful statement to the world that moms matter and that we have the power to pursue our dreams on our own terms. To kickstart this movement, I'm offering a special one-day-only sale of the Kindle format of the book for just 99 cents! Even if you're in the US and don't have a Kindle device, you can still gift this amazing deal to a friend. Let's make today a game-changing moment and show the world the impact we can create.  I'll be on Instagram today if you have book questions: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Today, from 10 am to 6 pm EST, is the perfect time to join me in the exclusive one-day-only sale of the Kindle format of "Fertile Imagination" on Amazon for just 99 cents. During this limited win

Welcome to episode 201! On October 31, I am offering the Kindle version of my book Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom's Superpower for Maximum Impact for only 99 cents on Halloween. If you love a sale and want to be the first to be notified of when to shop, then sign up on www.fertileideas.com. In this episode, for any mom who doesn't have time to read books, I will read to you what a mom in the thick of it with a toddler, a baby, limited childcare living as an expat and an online business has to say about the book, and what a great grandmother who has been visiting her grand-baby in the NICU for 110 days wanted to share with you too. In this episode, I will also share with you precisely for whom this book is for... strap on your seatbelt, get ready for a high-octane mini-episode because in 7 days, we're about to birth a book! Say hi: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ About the book: A fertile imagination can cast a powerful and compelling vision that will drive you to turn it into

Welcome to Episode 200, this HUGE announcement feels like the perfect culmination of the Unimaginable Wellness podcast. If you’d like to follow my book launch journey then let’s connect on Instagram too!  https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ This is what’s coming up on October 31, 2023 and what you can expect from my debut book….Fertile Imagination the link to sign-up today to be the first notified of when it goes on sale is www.fertileideas.com --- be sure to sign-up today to ensure you are the first to be notified about the discounted Kindle version sale on October 31. Fertile Imagination book kindle version available on October 31 for only 99 cents on that day open. Get on the list to not miss out! Oh, I can’t wait….here goes nothing… Welcome to the world my debut book, Fertile Imagination, a guide to stretching every mom's superpower for maximum impact. It's time for every mom, including you, to take your place on the world's stage. So how are you going to do this? You ask? Well, you're going to l

Are we connected on Instagram yet? Say hi over here: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Welcome to episode 199. If you've ever tried to eat more healthy than perhaps your parents or than might be common in cultural dishes, then this is the conversation for you. I would say that this conversation with Dr. Sabrina Falquier is extremely important as many of us are making different choices than our parents when it comes to nutrition and wellness. In my case, my dishes look unlike those of my grandmothers who ate white rice and wouldn’t ever think about adding chia seeds to their beans! And this is why this chat is really relevant because she brings such a wonderful perspective being a physician and a mom and someone who was born and raised in Mexico. In this conversation, we spoke about several things, whether it was the choices that doctors have to make as it relates to patient visits and how short of a time they have to share their wisdom on food. As well as some of the reasons why Dr. Sabrina decided to

What if you could write your book? Imagine if you started today and just kept going even at a pace of 10 words or 10 pages every night? What if you could write your own story and in parallel navigate life’s reality that includes loss and grief and the realities of marriage? What if your book could be your own revolution around a topic you held close to your heart?  Today’s guest is a mom of two, a caregiver to her grandmother, a partner to her best friend, and a working mom who found a way to write her book during a seven-year journey a book that touches upon complex grief, mass shootings, and being a single mom. Introducing Kristen McGuiness the author of Live Through This, her debut novel coming October 10, 2023. Before sharing more about today’s guest…. This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination: A Guide For Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower For Maximum Impact – My book that will be available on October 2023. My writing process took me two years and like Kristen, the key to my success was to kee

Do you often experience mom guilt? What if you can't take the kids trick-or-treating? How can we redefine guilt? In this candid conversation between two NYC moms who are deep in the trenches, you'll discover what it truly takes to juggle it all and maintain your sanity as a working mom who adores her kids but also recognizes the importance of self-care. Be ready to reinvent motherhood and entrepreneurship and buckle up for a whirlwind chat with the phenomenal Bethany Braun Silva, a celebrated on-air parenting, entertainment, and lifestyle expert. As we juggle the challenges of raising kids and businesses, we dive into poignant discussions about Halloween guilt, how to maximize newfound mom capabilities, and the gems within Bethany's enlightening book, "Like a Mother: Banished Guilt, Blaze Your Trail and Break the Rules to Create a Life You Love". This episode is proudly sponsored by Fertile Imagination: A Guide For Harnessing Every Mom's Superpower For Maximum Impact – My forthcoming book, slated for release

Hi there, please let me know if this episode resonates with you. Send me a DM @melissallarena on Instagram and say YES: https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/   Welcome to episode 196, have you ever felt anxious about taking your kids to a supermarket or Target? If the answer is yes then you have got to tune into this week’s guest Amber Trueblood the author of the best-selling book THE UNFLUSTERED MOM. She has four boys of her own and several credentials including being a licensed marriage and family therapist. In her book, she shows readers how to find a healthy alternative to dealing with mom-fears. Without raising their cortisol levels—that is, literally living in a space of ease and flow —the tools in this book will help moms create positive physiological shifts, better emotional awareness, hormonal balance, and the ability to set realistic boundaries. More about Amber below. This episode is brought to you by Fertile Imagination: A Guide for Stretching Every Mom’s Superpower for Creating Maximum Impa

In this episode, I’ll reveal the backstory of my participation in Fast Fall Women. But first, what was I thinking? I went from no one knowing about my experiences being raised by a mom with manic depression – to today, the world being able to hear one of my most vulnerable moments for $18.95.  Here’s the truth: Today marks a milestone for me as a published author in a book that features these writing goddesses: Amy Tan, Jane Smiley, Caroline Leavitt, Bobbie Ann Mason, Honor Moore, Darien Hsu Gee, Ilene Beckerman, Lynn Peril as well as new writers like myself. It’s a big deal and this is why you should tune into today’s episode especially if you’ve ever wanted to tell your story (or feel scared to).  Imagine harnessing the whimsical power of your childhood imagination and translating it into the real world as a mompreneur. That's the journey I've been on, and in this episode, I share the heart and soul of it all. Listen in as I explore how motherhood can transform your relationship with your imagination and ho

Let’s connect on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/melissallarena/ Send me a “hi” DM on Insta letting me know you caught this week’s episode. I’d love to know who is listening. Welcome to episode 194. Do you have a great business idea stuck in your head? What if getting it out of your head would put $30K in your pocket? Why would anyone procrastinate on executing such an idea? Meet Carin today’s live coaching session participant.  This is her situation and yet she has been procrastinating launching her $30K idea. Does this sound familiar? The conversation started with this $30K challenge yet as is often the case for moms in business specifically there is often more going on in the background that is affecting our sanity. So what might be the root cause of Carin’s hesitation to release her idea into the world and just stating selling it?  Tune in to find out!  You’ll hear how  through candid and brutally honest coaching questions I uncovered that her procrastinating the launch of this idea was just a