SARAH IS BACK!

Hi guys! It’s Sarah! I’m back!

Well, no I’m not entirely back, I’m just stepping in temporarily for the day so I can brag about Margo and embarrass her the wonderful way she did for me, and also I want to tell you about some of people in my network that have made it possible for me to run my business and, well, be able to handle all of this.

Wait, so are you back or not? Way to confuse people, SKP.

Fair. So, here’s the scoop:

After spine surgery and nerve damage throughout my left leg, the doctors estimated that I’d be able to return to “normal functioning” around 8 to 12 weeks post-surgery, which puts me back to work around June 1st.

Plus, recovering from surgery and recovering from sleep deprivation are two different beasts, and I’m working on both. #ExhaustedParentsNeedMoreSleep

Thank you for your BORING medical updates.

Ha! Okay, enough about spine surgery and medical drama and life updates.

But also, if you want to see me looking completely exhausted, here it is — my dad and my stepmom came out to visit while I’ve been in the repair and recovery phase.

My dad & stepmom came out to visit while I’m in the repair/recovery phase. We’re not tired, you’re tired.

Hi Sarah's Dad!

My dad thinks you’re awesome, Margo. (So do I!)

Okay, so I’ve been cleared by the doctors to come back online about 50% in May, so I’m able to dig in just enough to ~~completely panic about all the balls that have dropped~~, I mean, move things forward and rebuild after such an unexpected and lengthy time away.

But wait, WORK IS NOT A PLACE FOR LIFE UPDATES **eyeroll emoji.** Whoever said we can do work in a vacuum completely devoid of all other life things must have been extremely lucky to never have an illness or unexpected event come up.

Or they had a wife or mother taking care of it for them.

That reminds me of the book you told me about, Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner, about the fact that this famous economist that American education teaches about—he had all of his dinners and meals prepared by none other than:

Wait for it…

HIS MOTHER.

OKAY, but this post isn’t about rants. It’s about RAVES.

Specifically, I want to brag about Margo & Friends. I’m going to tell you about a few of the amazing people who have come together in this community and folks who are a part of the Startup Parent and Wise Women’s Council Community.

Muwhahahahahahah THE TABLES ARE TURNED, MARGO.

😈 MARGO REPLIES HERE WITH EXPLETIVE EMOJIS.

Margo Aaron.

THE FRIEND WHO LETS YOU CRY AS LONG AS YOU NEED TO CRY, AND THEN SOME.

Margo is one of my most hilarious friends, and if you’ve been reading our stuff for the last month, you’ve probably cackled out loud more with her than you have the entire time I’ve been writing here.

*The hilarious, kind, brave, wonderful MARGO AARON.*

is a writer. A spectacular, punchy, brave, and brilliant writer. She writes a newsletter on lighthearted topics like trauma, abuse, and divorce.

She also writes for Notes From The Road, a Substack collection with her co-founder — it’s all about the creative process and finding ways to practice your art even when sh!t is sh!tty-poop-poop. Margo and Kristin are the creators of Brainstorm Road, a paid social network for people finishing their dream projects.

*I tried really hard to get a thumbnail that was good of all three of you and I failed. Apologies to Kristin, who is stunningly gorgeous and this thumbnail is my fault.*

What I appreciate so dearly about this wonderful human is her ability to see the truth and to advocate for understanding and empathy over everything else. She’s a lighthouse for integrity and compassion, and she will challenge you to think more deeply about everything… while also demonstrating that boundaries and clarity are a specific form of intelligence and kindness.

She’s also an amazing friend who has done more for my recovery + well-being in the last few months than many people experience in decades of their lives. I’m just so, so grateful for this person. Go subscribe to her Substack. And then follow .

Brooke Markevicius

THE VISIONARY WHO CHAMPIONS A FUTURE BUILT BY WOMEN THROUGH TECH AND INNOVATION

Okay Brooke is seriously cool! She not only understands all things AI but she makes it fun, digestible, and super practical.

We had Brooke guest teach for the members of the Wise Women’s Council, and she taught our community easy-yet-brilliant ways to bring ChatGPT and AI tools into your leadership through content, marketing, assistance, brainstorming, and more.

(If you attended her WWC class on ChatGPT last year, you know)!

Brooke is a keynote speaker, mom of two, an ex-founder of the innovative start-up Allobee (that she led to a notable acquisition).

AND she just had her first book out: The Future Built By Women - Creating A Brighter Tomorrow Through Tech and Innovation.

Apart from championing women in tech, Brooke loves to run and just signed up for her first marathon for her birthday weekend in January 2025 at Disney!

Fun fact? She met her husband on Craigslist. 💅

Jessica Wan

THE COACH AND COLLEAGUE WHO CHAMPIONS YOUR WORK

To us in the WWC community, Jessica Wan needs no introduction — a friend, cheerleader, and amazing coach guiding us through our puzzles and helping us move forward without fail. There's many things we can fan-girl over JWan but one thing she always does is make you feel better about yourself while also helping you with your projects + next steps.

Jessica Wan helps leaders gain clarity and enhance skills to lead bravely.

That's what Jessica Wan does. She helps leaders gain clarity and enhance skills to lead bravely. Before starting her coaching business, she helped launch iPhones and iPads worldwide at Apple and built a culture of growth as the SVP of Marketing at Magoosh.

But get this, she also has a (not-so-secret) second career as an opera singer! Over the past two decades, Jessica has collaborated with artists across the SF Bay Area as a classical, opera, and musical theater singer.

She hosts a podcast called The Ampersand Manifesto, where she interviews people who, like her, straddle multiple worlds (e.g. music & medicine, science & dance, tech & writing). If that's you, email her to see if you're a match for the podcast.

Jessie Arora.

HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT LIFE CAN FEEL GREAT, SOONER THAN YOU THINK

Jessie Arora gives moms, founders, and women of color permission to dream up their lives again, even if it seems far-fetched.

As a coach, Jessie Arora helps women balance the endless demands on their time and energy, to become more comfortable with themselves and their choices.

As a mom of three, and former entrepreneur and tech employee, she intimately understands the challenges of modern motherhood, which creates a never ending to-do list that can fuel a sense of inadequacy and guilt. (And amidst all that it can be difficult to maintain a sense of self).

In the Wise Women’s Council, Jessie taught a workshop on Designing Your Life (based on the book by Bill Burnett), to help people dream up lives that are fueled by things like joy, play, and pleasure for YOU.

If you feel like re-evaluating your priorities to live in alignment with your core values, Jessie is the one to follow. She loves to hike, garden, and read — contact her if you need a compassionate coach who will help you create a life based on your values and your own unique definition of success.

That’s it for today’s raves — that's just a sneak peak into what kind of community we are building over at Wise Women's Council. I ADORE being surrounded by these women, each and every one of them. I wish I could shout out every single one (maybe I will in a much, much longer post).

If you need more awesome women, moms, founders, and friends in your circle, check out our next cohort of WWC, which kicks off at the beginning of June.

— Sarah & everyone at Startup Parent.

The Wise Women’s Council is BACK!

Early bird application deadline coming up fast! Apply by May 22nd for the next cohort.

WHEN YOU NEED BIZ FRIENDS (WHO ARE ALSO PARENTS)

We believe that parenting is an unrecognized leadership incubator for what the world needs next—the skills you'll need for the rest of your lifetime.

If you need REAL people to talk to about the intersection of life and business, if you need more friends and connections at the intersection of business & life, then check out the Wise Women's Council. We only open twice a year for new members. 💜

Translating parenting skills into leadership savvy is what we do in The Wise Women's Council.

Apply to join us if it's right for you.

Over and out,

SKP

PS: If you’re not a mom, it's why we're also building a Fatherhood Group and a community for Founders With Kids.

Wonderful Women Leaders I'm Lucky To Work…