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Rachel Jackson is the ultimate High Wire Woman.  She is a corporate lawyer, mother of two young boys and founder and CEO of Rachel’s Remedy, a company that provides products to help new mothers recover from childbirth.  Rachel experienced discomfort when breastfeeding her first son, Samuel, and was diagnosed with mastitis and clogged ducts.  Her doctor advised her to hold warm, wet washcloths or diapers in place for 20-minute intervals all day.  Rachel knew there had to be a better way and created Rachel’s Remedy.Learn how Rachel launched a new business, raised capital, and maintained her law practice all while taking care of a newborn.  You’ll learn so many things from this High Wire Woman.

High Wire Women: Can you imagine this? Moving from California to New York when you are six months pregnant.  Studying for the New York State bar exam. Starting a new job.  Our guest today, Jessica Shpall Rosen, did just that and will share with us her secrets to staying on the high wire.  Tune in to learn more from her!

Hello High Wire Women:The most common question I’ve received in the last couple days is “do you have your Christmas shopping done?”  I always laugh because one of my favorite hobbies is shopping.  Some may even say I have my Ph.D. in shopping. My love language is gifting.  And I have to say, gifting for women is SO much easier than men.  Men are so one-dimensional—you can buy them clothes, cologne, socks and that’s it.  Now women—that’s a totally different ball game.So today I’ll share some of my Favorite gifts for the people in your life!Give an international experience!Our friends at Air BNB have recently started to offer amazing online experiences.  You can sign up for a pasta making class from Italy, a tarot card reading from Spain.  There are a ton of them and they are cheap (generally less than $20 a person) and are so many options.  My law firm is doing a Coffee Masterclass from Mexico, where we’ll learn the science of a perfect cup of coffee, make one and enjoy our time together on Zoom!  I’m also doing a “walking tour” of Venice with a native Italian for the holidays with my family in Canada.  Check out the link for more ideas!Grow your indoor gardenLike many people this year, I really enjoyed my outdoor flower garden.  I spent so much time planting, weeding and enjoying the beauty of my flowers.  Since I live in Buffalo, I am missing my flowers and plants so much!  Not to worry!  I recently found a really cool Hydroponic Garden on Amazon and bought one for my home and one for the office.  It’s a great little system that grows herbs with lighting.  It’s incredible and so fun to watch.  We are well on our way to a great Caprese salad from our hydroponic garden that is growing basil for us in December!Ring lightEveryone and their brother are spending time in front of a camera these days.  Enter the Selfie Ring Light.  This little darling clips to your laptop, iphone or tablet and provides professional level lighting.  It will enhance your image and smooth your wrinkles on camera!  This one comes with a rechargeable battery. Herban EssentialsStand back Oprah—these babies were my favorite things long before they hit your list!!!  Herban Essentials are hand wipes made of essential oils.  They come in lavender, lemon, orange, peppermint and eucalyptus.  They are AMAZING and will make you so happy when you wipe down your keyboard, steering wheel and iphone.  Trust me—once you use these, you won’t be able to stop!  They are perfect for travel!RB

Hello HWW:It’s the first week of December and we’ve officially entered the “busy” season.  I’m not talking about tax season for accountants.  I’m talking about the holidays, which is the crazy, busy, madness season for all working women.  Think of the last time you asked a friend or colleague “how are you doing?”  I guarantee all of them responded “busy” or “busy, busy” or “crazy busy.”  We wear this badge like a medal of honor.  It protects us from all of the things we don’t want to do in life.  But I challenge you to think about what wearing your “busy badge” really does to your life?  I’ll go first.  When I say I’m “busy,” that’s a signal to leave me alone because I’m disorganized and don’t have a grasp on what needs to be done in my personal and professional life.  I go from one thing to the next, putting out the hottest fire, responding to the client who is screaming loudest.  I don’t have a plan on my “busy” days.  I’m a hot mess.Sound familiar?  Us “busy” ladies go through our lives this way.  We teach our kids that their lives will be like this too.  Wait—what?  Do you want your kid to live your life?  Especially on your worst days, when you have too much to do and not enough hours?  I certainly don’t.In 2021, I am throwing my “busy badge” away.  Flushing it down the toilet, where it belongs.  I’ve been researching time efficiency methods over the last few months and think they are my ticket to freedom.  Here’s a few I like:1.    OHIO—this stands for “Only Handle it Once.”  This nifty acronym can apply to your personal life (your mail or laundry) or your in-box.  Stop reading the same emails over and over.  Instead, block 20 minutes on your calendar to read and RESPOND to emails.  Read and respond…ONCE.  If you do this cumulatively, you will get back a lot of time and feel way more in control of your life.2.    Pomodoro technique—this is an oldy, but goody.  The concept is we can only effectively focus for 25 minutes at a time.  The Pomodoro technique encourages us to set a timer for 25 minutes and devote our attention to a project.  It then recommends taking a five minute break.  Depending on the task at hand, you can get an alarm for a series of focus times and breaks.  There are plenty of apps that mimic this concept.  Try it—it really works.3.    Time blocking—this one is HUGE!  As lawyers, we have a lot of responsibilities each week.  Meetings, conf calls, emails, drafting, marketing.  It’s tough stuff to get accomplished.  However, I recommend two ways to time block:a.    Weekly: on Sunday night, spend 10-15 minutes and look at your week ahead.  Enter all of your “musts” in your calendar as appointments.  Please include time for getting your nails and hair done!  Block out your client appointments, calls, etc.b.    Daily: look for gaps in each day.  Or pick a day or two that you will only work on drafting or client correspondence.  If you have the flexibility, make every Monday or Wednesday am your drafting days.  Block 25 minutes each day for emails.These ideas are brain surgery.  They are simple and basic techniques.  However, they work.  Just like we know that if we want to lose weight, we need to eat less and move more.  Not that complex.  But few of us ever accomplish our weight goals because we don’t have a plan.  Spend a few minutes every day and time block.  Time block as if your life depends on it.Being “busy” wasn’t your life or career goal.  Rather, you were put on this earth to do meaningful work.  Try some of my recommendations and let me know when your “busy badge” start to collect dust.RB

It’s the week of Thanksgiving and the unofficial start of the holiday season.  For most working women, this is also known as the season of chaos and unmet expectations.  Our thoughts are dominated by the “should.”  What we “should be doing.  Baking cookies.  Decorating the house.  Buying gifts for friends and family who don’t need a single thing.  And let’s not forget the gorgeous holidays cards on Minted.com.  Does anyone even have pictures to share this year?Let’s take a moment and step back from it all.  This year is different.  And while it’s been different in many negative ways—think remote schooling—it’s forced us to slow down, take inventory and reinvent ourselves.  This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday.  It’s my favorite holiday.  I am beyond grateful.  Eight years ago, my mother passed away and I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I was 40 years old.  Our son, Salvatore, was six-years old.  I was grief-stricken and terrified.  I couldn’t do anything other than put one foot in front of the other.  I will never forget the day I was diagnosed.  I was with a client at the US/Canadian border and received a phone call from my local radiologist.  “You have breast cancer.”  I still shudder when I think of those words.2012-2013 was a horrible time.  I had a bilateral mastectomy on Dec 18, 2012 and struggled with grief and fear for years afterwards.  I was so afraid to lose everything I loved—my husband, our son, the small life we built.  I know what it feels like to lose a mother.  I didn’t want my son to know that pain.  I’m here—healthy and happy—eight years later.  I am beyond grateful every moment of my life.  I never take a single day, breath or moment for granted.  I celebrate being alive.  I have to.  I live like a lunatic and travel, experience and enjoy everything I possibly can.  Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.I will cook dinner for 12 on Thursday (don’t tell Governor Cuomo).  I will be stressed out and annoyed that I’m having a hot flash while making my mother’s stuffing recipe.  I will complain that my back hurts and I’m tired.  But under it all, I will savor the moments.  The first sip of coffee on Thanksgiving morning.  Enjoying the “reimagined” Thanksgiving parade.  Watching our neighbors play in our annual football game.  Watching my mother-in-law walk in with her amazing soup.  I know these days won’t last forever.  Our son, nieces and nephews will grow older.  Possibly move away.  There will be empty seats at our table.  I will embrace Thursday, no matter how hot or tired I am.I encourage you to make this holiday season different.  Put the “should” away.  No one will care if you bake cookies or order them from a bakery.  No one will care if you don’t decorate every portion of your house.  Our lives are not like the Pottery Barn catalogues.  Pottery Barn decorates bedrooms for Christmas because they sell Xmas bedding and sheets.  You don’t need to hold yourself to those false standards.Embrace the small stuff.  The extra time you have with your partner or kids.  Yes—they can be annoying but they won’t be around forever.  Take a walk.  Get some fresh air, even if it’s cold and dark.  Look up at the stars.  Put your phone down.  Be present.  Fully present.2020 is certainly different but it’s also amazing.  We have been excused by the world from doing things that make us crazy—attending too many holiday parties, traveling great distances, etc.  We have been permitted by the world to stay home and look out the window.  And in some small way, that is a magical blessing.Happy Thanksgiving, High Wire Women!RB

Working women all have the same problems—what to cook for dinner, how to sleep better, how to juggle work, family and life in general.  It’s not easy.  The world of a working women is super complicated and challenging to say the least.  How can we realistically do it all?Today’s guest, Natalie Caetano Feitoza, is a Brazilian national who currently resides in Canada.  She is a pharmacist by training and also holds a Master’s degree in Applied Health Sciences.  She currently works as a Nutrition Consultant.  Natalie has some great recommendations that we can integrate in our daily lives:1.    Eat your veggies!  Natalie recommends 4-10 cups a day, which sounds insane but also recommends using them in omelets, smoothies, and as side dishes.2.    Meal prep:  even if it’s one or two things.  It’s so much easier to have food to warm up waiting for you at home.3.    Supplements:  Vitamin D is the super-star-supplement.  It can help with anxiety, depression, and a host of other maladies.  Vitamin C is also a super star.4.    Sleep!  Eight out of 10 working women have difficult sleeping.  Magnesium glycinate is a terrific supplement that helps relax the body.  It can also be used for headaches.Our lives don’t have to be as hard as we make them.  Try one or two of Natalie’s recommendations and I promise, you will walk with ease and grace on that high wire!Reach out to Natalie at nourishednatalie.ca@gmail.com. 

Recreate Your Surroundings: Simple and easy ways to brighten up your home and officeThe pandemic has caused all of us to stay home more.  Whether we’re working from home or supervising our kids’ remote learning, we are definitely in our homes now more than ever.  I don’t know about you but when I’m home more often, I start to take inventory of our décor and start thinking about some new paint colors or furniture.  And out comes the Pinterest board or endless scrolling through Houzz.Today I’m chatting with Erin Kent, owner of Erin Kent Interiors, based in Buffalo, New York.   Erin has the eye for interior design and can transform your personal space on any budget.  I’ve personally worked with her on several projects and the results are amazing.  Despite the pandemic, Erin is busier than ever as people are deciding to spend money on home transformations and improvements rather than travel.Tune in today to hear:1.    How COVID has changed the interior design business.2.    What is trending now?3.    Is the “gray” trend fading?4.    How we can upgrade our workspace on the cheap.Check out Erin’s website to see some of her work.  She’s available for virtual and in-person consultations.  

It’s mid-October here in New York State and the days are getting longer, darker and colder.  The first thing I notice during this season is the drying of my skin.  You know that feeling when you get out of the shower and your face feels tight?  Or when your hands are suddenly rough and scratchy?  We are in that season but don’t fret! Today I’m chatting with Michelle Giamberdino, owner of Face Fitness.  Michelle has decades of experience in the skin care world and is the owner and Skin guru at Face Fitness where she helps women and men love the skin, they’re in.Michelle recommends a few key things to do NOW in order to prep your skin for the winter:1.    Hydrate—drink an ample amount of water each day.  You don’t want your skin to look like a dry sponge.2.    Moisturize—this will help prevent acne and create a great barrier between your COVID mask and your skin.  No more mask-ne!3.     Use sunscreen—we need this year-round regardless of the weather.  It will prevent aging and burning.Check out Michelle’s website for a ton of fabulous tips and information on getting your best skin.Hydrate, moisturize and stay on that high wire!

The hardest decision most working women face every day is deciding “what’s for dinner?”  Why do we have to eat dinner every single day???  After trying several options including, a private chef (too pricey), prepared meals (tasted awful), meal kits (took forever to make), I’ve figured out a few short cuts.The Rotisserie Chicken is your best friend!I don’t love chicken.  But the rotisserie chicken is the base of simple and easy meals.  I buy one every week (Instacart delivers them) and get at least two meals from one chicken.Here’s a simple formula:1.    Use the chicken for:·         Chicken sandwiches (chicken, lettuce, tomato, mayo on a roll or wrap)·         Chicken tacos (chicken, instant rice, avocado, lettuce, tomato)·         Pulled chicken sandwiches (shred the chicken, add BBQ sauce, heat and serve)·         Chicken burrito bowl (instant rice, chicken, cilantro, lettuce, cheese)·         Chicken salad (chicken, mayo, salt, pepper) 2.    Use the leftover chicken for:·         Easiest chicken soup ever! Chicken broth, large-sized mirepoix (pre-cut carrots, celery and onions), salt, pepper, entire chicken carcass.  Add pasta or rice to “beef” it up. The Ninja Foodi should win the Nobel Peace Prize!At the beginning of this year we were looking for an indoor grill that didn’t create a huge mess and was easy to use.  We bought the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill at Walmart on a whim.  You guys…it has been life-changing to say the least!  Here’s what it comes with:Ninja® Foodi™ 5-in-1 Indoor Grill with 4-Quart Air Fryer5 cooking functions - grill, air crisp, bake, roast, dehydrateFoodi™ Indoor Grill GrateFoodi™ Indoor Grill Crisper BasketFoodi™ Grill Brush15-recipe book1-year VIP warrantyLet me tell you—this grill is worth the $200 price tag and type.  We use it almost every day.  It is a fantastic grill that perfectly cooks chicken, steak and pork chops in minutes!  The air fryer has been life changing.  It crisps up chicken fingers and french fries just like your local pizza joint.  It makes crispy bacon without the mess! It cooks small roasts in under 20 minutes.  The possibilities are endless for the Ninja Foodi—it will surely simplify your meal planning. Breakfast for DinnerThere is nothing easier to make than breakfast for dinner.  Whip up some scrambled eggs, toast some bread and have some pre-cut fruit.  Or there is always ingredients for french toast!  And pancakes with butter and syrup.  Breakfast for dinner is cheap, fast and easy!

The majority of working women are working from home these days.  But are we really?  A friend of mine coined a new phrase for the way we work and I couldn’t agree with it more.  COVID-19 has forced us to all live at work, without leaving our homes!Working from home has made it difficult to establish boundaries, work hours, set realistic expectations and maintain any type of work-life balance.We no longer have scheduled lunch dates with colleagues or a commute home to listen to a podcast or just unwind.We are always “at work” and it’s taking a toll.Every year, McKinsey and Company, a global consulting company, issues a “Women in the Workplace” study where they survey more than 40,000 people on their workplace experiences and conduct more than 45 interviews to dive deeper on the issues. This year’s study is concerning.  Alarming.  It found that ONE in FOUR women are contemplating what many would have considered unthinkable just six months ago: downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce entirely.Ladies…let that sink in.  25% of working women are contemplating leaving the workplace.  That is troubling and is creating an emergency for corporate America.  And more importantly, for working women everywhere.This can’t happen.  Women have worked so hard to get to where they are today.  To educate ourselves, work our way up the corporate ladder, to demand fair pay and equal opportunity for senior management positions.  We can’t give this up.What can we do?  We need to act and act now.  You can’t afford to wait.  Here are some tips for recreating your work from home life and to stop living at work.  You don’t need to quite your job.  1.    Schedule a call with your boss.  Today.  Discuss how COVID-19 has impacted your work life and identify what is no longer working for you.  Is it possible to work hours other than 9-5pm?  Is it possible to have “on call” hours for meetings and calls?  Are there other ways to accomplish your tasks? It is better to have a conversation like this in person, but if it’s not possible, schedule a call and be prepared to send a follow-up email.  Do not create a problem for your boss.  Rather, frame the conversation by:a.    Discussing your issue;b.    Proposing your solution;c.    Requesting a follow-up call in 30 days to reassessd.    Writing your proposed new schedule in a follow-up email.2.    Create a functional work space.  Look at where you are working right now.  On a dining room table?  Kitchen table?  STOP!  Please don’t do an important Zoom call from your kitchen.  Pick a corner of a room (not your bedroom) and set up a professional space.  Even if it’s in your partially finished basement.  A dedicated work area that you can leave each day is critical.  Stop working on your laptop from your couch.  This is a bad habit.  Your couch is for napping and watching bad TV.  Instead, only work from one area in your home.3.    Time blocking.  This is critical for planning your day.  You need to block out times of the day for important tasks.  Instead, only work from one area in your home and set a timer to work in 25-minute periods. Then take a five-minute break.  This is called the Pomodoro technique and it works.  The human brain can’t pay attention for more than 25 minutes.  There is even an app to help you track your time.&

The Covid-19 pandemic is disproportionately impacting working women. A recent Buzzfeed article highlights the stress of the working women and it’s impact on her partner/spouse.  It’s not good!Women are now not only trying to work but cook, clean and teach their kids.We are home 24/7, often under the same roof as our families.It makes focusing impossible and creates a ton of tension.We are seeing a “Pink Recession”:Women are trying to do it all, can’t and quitting their jobs.  This can’t happen!We’ve come too far to backslide.  What do we do?Today I have some simple action items and tips for you to use in your daily lives!Stop being a martyr—ask for help.  You need to have a serious conversation with your partner, kids and boss.  You need to discuss your “new normal” and how they can help you.Pick ONE THING to let go of—one that you hate.  Cooking? Laundry? Teaching?  Find a way to delegate or automate it. Cooking?  Get a rotisserie chicken, some pasta and some frozen pizzas.  Dinner for a week.  Have the kids/partners make their own lunches and help with dinner. Laundry?  Everyone does their own.  Or send it out to your local dry cleaners. Teaching? Delegate it or hire a tutor or college student to assist.Commit to a 20-minute treat:  you have to find 20 minutes for yourself every day.  What do you love to do?  What can you fit in? Online shopping? Netflix? Bad TV?Walking? Doing your nails?It doesn’t have to be this hard.  I promise.  As working women, we create a lot of our own obstacles.  Let go of perfection.  Your kids will survive if they eat Pop Tarts a few times a week for breakfast.  We live in a world of modern conveniences.  Take advantage of them and improve your life!!!

Working women: how many things are you expected to do on a daily basis? Work, raise kids, make dinner, walk 10,000 steps, prepare plant-based meals and oh…don’t forget to plan interesting date nights with your partner and amazing vacations! ENOUGH! It’s impossible to do it all, yet we’re asked to each day. Listen in to hear how one High Wire Woman, Rosanna Berardi, stays on the high wire while managing a busy law firm, a consulting business, teaching at a law school, parenting her 14-year-old son, maintaining a happy and healthy marriage and visiting Disney four to five times a year. Let Rosanna show you how to make sense of your life and stay on that high wire!