What do you do when the unimaginable happens?

In this conversation, Melissa Saleh shares her profound journey through grief, motherhood, and the challenges of navigating loss. From her experiences as a corporate lawyer to her transition into tech and startups, she discusses the impact of her personal tragedies, including the loss of her first child, and how these experiences have shaped her identity and purpose. Melissa emphasizes the importance of storytelling as a means of healing and the need for a supportive environment for those experiencing loss. She also addresses the challenges faced by women in the workplace, particularly regarding maternity leave and the need for systemic change. Through her narrative, she aims to create a lighthouse for others who are navigating similar journeys, offering hope and understanding.

About Melissa:

Melissa Saleh is a serial entrepreneur who has spent her career at the intersection of technology and human behavior. Since 2004 she has combined storytelling and bleeding-edge technology to build successful products, companies and brands.

In 2020 she cofounded FairPlay AI, the world's first Fairness-as-a-Service company.

Prior to that she created and executed narrative strategies for companies including Facebook, Google, Citibank and GE. After founding the content strategy firm Brick Wall Media in 2013, she built up a roster of Fortune 500 clients and worked extensively with early-stage cos to develop their mission, voice and brand narrative, then communicate them powerfully to the world.

As a journalist and editor, she launched and ran digital properties for The New York Times, Newsweek, Discover Magazine and others. She began her career as a labor and employment lawyer in New York City, then transitioned to media by founding the internationally-acclaimed blog Opinionistas, which revealed life inside the world's toniest law firms.

She has written for The New York Times, The New York Observer, Wired, The Huffington Post, The Daily Beast and others, and has appeared on-air for CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business and NPR. She received her JD from UVA School of Law and her BA from Dartmouth.

Connect with Melissa:

https://www.threads.net/@melissa.l.saleh

https://www.instagram.com/melissa.l.saleh/

Connect with Ashley:

Website: https://dovetaildesigns.co

Support AND/BOTH: Help us offset production costs while we're growing

Mother Founder Retreat

Dovetail® App

Social:

Instagram: @dovetailapp

TikTok: @dovetaildesigns.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dovetaildesigns.co

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblackington/

In today’s episode, we're joined by Lee Sevier, a former big law lawyer who boldly chose to leave her demanding career and be more present with her children. We dive into her journey of managing career aspirations and family priorities, discussing the trade-offs, challenges, and moments of clarity along the way. Lee also shares her experiences with her son’s developmental needs, revealing the reality of balancing specialized therapies with the everyday demands of family life.

Lee’s story is one of resilience, shifting priorities, and the importance of self-compassion, offering insights that any parent, career-driven or not, will find inspiring.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The difficult decision to step away from a big law career to focus on family
• Lee’s journey navigating her son’s special needs and therapy
• How to embrace career pauses without seeing them as gaps
• Tips for balancing career ambitions with the responsibilities of parenthood

Connect with Lee:

LinkedIn

Connect with Ashley:

Website: https://dovetaildesigns.co

Support AND/BOTH: Help us offset production costs while we're growing

Mother Founder Retreat

Dovetail® App

Social:

Instagram: @dovetailapp

TikTok: @dovetaildesigns.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dovetaildesigns.co

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblackington/

In today's episode, I welcome Kate Westlund Tovsen, the founder of the Society of Working Moms, a community designed for moms of all ages and stages to connect and get support. Kate shares insights about the group’s features, including monthly workshops, weekly group coaching, and a low-stakes book club. She also discusses the importance of work-life balance and the challenges she faced as a working mom of two. We dive into the inspiration behind creating the Society of Working Moms and how it has evolved since its inception six months ago. The conversation also touches on the community's approach to fostering connections, setting boundaries, and navigating the complexities of motherhood and career. Lastly, Kate talks about the group's coaching sessions, expert-led workshops, and the invaluable support members receive from each other.

Kate Westlund Tovsen is the founder of The Society of Working Moms, a membership community for and by moms of all ages and stages who love their families and their careers but who might not feel fully supported in either. Members enjoy a well-managed and engaged Slack community made up of generous women who provide overwhelming confirmation that we are not, in fact, alone. The group also boasts features such as monthly workshops, weekly group coaching sessions, and a "low-stakes book club."

Outside of being the group's community manager and her "real job" as a communications consultant, Kate enjoys doing endless DIY home projects around her kids' schedules and toys, exploring the beautiful lakes and woods that surround her home, snuggling with her family while watching a movie, and building IRL community in her small northern Minnesota town.

Connect with Kate:

Working Moms Society: Use code ANDBOTH for 50% off your first month of membership

Instagram: @thetovsens

Linkedin

Email: hello@katetovsenmedia.com

Connect with Ashley:

Website: https://dovetaildesigns.co

Support AND/BOTH: Help us offset production costs while we're growing

Dovetail® Schedule Academy: https://dovetaildesigns.co/dovetail-schedule-academy

Caregiver by Dovetail® App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dovetail-co/id6449788093

Social:

Instagram: @dovetailapp

TikTok: @dovetaildesigns.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dovetaildesigns.co

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblackington/