Plan Simple with Mia Moran

The college application process doesn't have to be stressful, but it does take a lot of planning. –Beth PickettStressed about the college application process? It can be very ungrounding when we don’t understand a process, and the process has changed a lot in recent years. I’m talking with college admissions counselor and author of College Admissions: The Essential Guide for Busy Parents Beth Pickett to demystify the process.Instead of starting with a list of schools, start with the student. Who are they? What do they want to do? What kind of environment do they want? The best school for many students may not be an Ivy—and many students, even top students won’t get into some of the schools they apply to.Parents can start by looking at their own desires and expectations for their child. Are they trying to give the child something they didn’t have? Do they think a certain school is a golden ticket to financial security? Are they influenced by their own knowledge of certain schools or the reactions of their social circle? If you can recenter on your child and what will really serve them, it goes a long way.We talk about: Timeline of the process from thinking early about what classes a student will take in high school to actual application deadlines and what happens if a student graduates earlyVisiting colleges near you (even if you aren’t applying there) to get a sense of schools of different size and settingThe importance of demonstrating interestHandling getting a no from a college (for parents and students) and why not to take it personallyUsing extracurriculars and summer experiences to explore interests to help make decisions about what you are looking for in a collegeWays to decrease stress in the processBIOBeth Pickett is the founder of College Prep Counseling and Director of Academic and College Advising. She has been working with students across the U.S. as a college admissions counselor for more than a decade. Her clients and essay students have earned admission to Harvard, Yale, Brown, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, Williams, Tulane, Colgate, Cornell, and many other colleges and universities across the U.S.A graduate of Stanford, Beth also earned a Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA and started working with families as an independent admissions consultant in 2007. She began teaching summer essay-writing seminars to 80+ rising seniors annually. By helping students learn to articulate their goals, Beth helps students learn about themselves and how to make a plan to move forward in a methodical and precise way. She feels privileged to mentor students as they navigate the rite of passage that is selective college admissions.Beth is a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) and resides in the seaside town of Ventura, California, with her two teenage boys.LINKSCollege Admissions: The Essential Guide for Busy Parentshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/admissionessentialshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-pickett-bb3463185/https://www.instagram.com/collegeprepcounseling/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwQr0aEHdUREidpSxxiZfMwMENTIONED LINKS All About Hormones with Dr. Anna CabecaDoable Changes from this episode:CHECK YOUR OWN IDEAS. Get really clear on what you want out of this process. Questions to ask yourself: What do I want my child to get out of college? What do I think going to college (or a specific college) will do for my child? If I’m set on my child getting into a specific school, and Ivy or similar, why is that important to me? What do I consider a “good school”? How does feedback from family or friends affect my thoughts on where my child applies/goes? What concerns do I have about the process?GET THE BOOK. I got more and more clarity as I asked questions, but I wish I had started with a guide of timelines and checklists and coverage of things I didn’t even know to ask about. Beth’s book College Admissions: The Essential Guide for Busy Parents is that guide. Get a copy of the book and start reading!SCHEDULE LOCAL COLLEGE VISITS. Try visiting colleges within an hour (or within a reasonable drive). These do not have to be schools your child is considering, but they can start to get a sense for schools in different settings (e.g., urban vs. suburban) or sizes. Lay a baseline with colleges within easy reach.

Planning all things motherhood was something I resisted for a long time — mostly because I thought it was all about family vacations, medical forms, and school year extracurriculars. BUT, then I started understanding what really needed space, and I could see that if I did not leave time in my weeks for the pieces that actually make the the mom I want to be, they would never happen! I am talking about pauses before responding (or yelling), individual connection time, building a village, and so much more. Tune into this episode to see how I think about planning for motherhood every week.This is part of a new solo series that will air each Saturday. To get notified, please make sure you are subscribed to the Plan Simple Podcast.

We’re so busy running our agenda that we lose out on who our child is and what they really want.  –Robbin McManneYour child’s behavior is never personal. I’m not sure who needs to hear that today, but that’s one of the pearls from my guest Robbin McManne, a parenting coach and mom to teen boys. The first thing Robbin wants parents to know is that this is a tough time and it’s okay if you are struggling — and there’s help!We prepare for the birth, but not necessarily the lifetime. There’s a lot of brain science to understand where our kids are developmentally through their lives. Even though we study a lot for our jobs, we don’t learn a lot of what we need to know to parent well. Robbin helps people unravel their kids' behaviors.It’s possible to build a strong relationship with kids as they grow so that they want to stay connected with us. We need to honor who they are over our own agenda. We need to set up boundaries and strong scaffolding, but we need to slow down, get quiet, and listen to our kids. Parenting is not an emergency. We can slow down. We need to respond, not react.We talk about: Understanding our own triggers as parents and how our kids mirror what we need to healHow punishments, threats, and rewards work in the short term but backfire when the stakes are higherHow parenting affects how we show up at work and the importance of supporting parentsIt not being about or a reflection on the parent when kids are going through something Letting go of the stories in our heads and seeing what our kids need in the moment (even when that moment is a meltdown) and how we can coregulateSelf-care and making sure you are okay as a mom being the most important thing you can do for your family.BIORobbin is a Certified Parent Coach, author of The Yelling Cure, podcaster and speaker. She works with parents from all over the world to help them build more connection and find more joy and cooperation in their parenting. Robbin is a former ‘Angry Mom’ who, for over 12 years, juggled a full-time corporate career while being a mom and wife, prior to becoming a Parenting Coach. She understands firsthand how many moms struggle to balance work and family.Robbin's work focuses on building and strengthening the parent child relationship so that children grow up with resilience, confidence and strong emotional intelligence. She works with parents to help them understand their own emotions and frustrations in parenting, so they can help build their children’s sense of self without losing themselves in the process!LINKSwww.parentingforconnection.comRobbin on InstaRobbin on TwitterRobbin on FacebookRobbin on LinkedinParenting for Connection on youtubePinterestMia on Robbin’s podcastDoable Changes from this episode:SLOW YOUR BREATH. When your kid is upset, try sitting with them and getting quiet. Slow and deepen your breath. They will probably start to follow your breath, without guidance. Let them feel their feelings.REMIND YOURSELF IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU. When our child has challenging behavior or is struggling with something, it’s easy to take it personally. Why are they embarrassing me, why won’t they cooperate … Remember it’s not about you. Ask what your child needs in the moment. Do they need connection? Do they need to calm down? Do they need to feel heard? TAKE A BREAK. Take a day off. Take a nap. Schedule the time and ask for help. If you can’t do it for yourself at first, do it fo your kids, because making sure you are okay is the most important thing you can do for your family. Notice how you feel when you’ve taken care of your needs.

As we wrap up a few episodes of guests talking about entrepreneurship, I thought I would share a bit about what I’m thinking about when I make my work plan each week.. I may do an episode in the future about how I make choices and make the PlanSimple plans. This episode is all about things other than marketing, sales and fulfillment. Today I am talking about the things that take time, that I, at first, did not realize need time. And I hope to show you how making time for them has really helped with my productivity, confidence and joy.This is part of a new solo series that will air each Saturday. To get notified, please make sure you are subscribed to the Plan Simple Podcast.

You can change your money story and build wealth. –Kaila PileckiMore money and more ease … isn’t that what we all want?  I’m really excited to talk with Kaila Pilecki of My Aligned Purpose about money mindset and systems. If both of those make you groan, you definitely need this conversation.Many of us equate money with freedom … but sometimes growing money can feel restrictive. We talk about how to make restrictions around money feel better. We also explore a more expansive approach that recognizes the value behind spending for growth. Choosing the approach that works with your own nature is essential.Systems are another thing that can feel restrictive. I fought against planning and systems for a long time before realizing the freedom they can bring. Whether it’s systems around your money or attracting new clients or any other part of your life, systems can bring more ease — and they don’t have to be a big deal to create.We talk about: Money mindset and changing your money story (making money won’t make you a horrible person) The easy way to set up a system — start with what you already doCreating an amazing customer experience to make it easier to make moneyUnderstanding whether you are wired to start or finish things — and how to partner with somebody to make things happenSetting yourself up for success by getting clear and realistic about how long things actually takeDelegating — and really letting go of somethings — so that you can focusBIOKaila Pilecki is a Certified Executive Coach and co-founder of My Aligned Purpose, a coaching and learning company for ambitious women entrepreneurs.She has over a decade of experience, working in leadership and fundraising roles with non-profit organizations, where she raised millions of dollars to facilitate social change. An entrepreneur through and through, Kaila has established and operated multiple businesses including her coaching practice, managing real estate, painting houses and creating artisanal, cultured butter. Kaila specializes in creating effective, profit driven business systems that take the guesswork out of growing and scaling your business.LINKShttps://www.myalignedpurpose.com/https://www.instagram.com/myalignedpurpose/Doable Changes from this episode:ASK MONEY QUESTIONS. One place to start with changing your mindset around money is to ask yourself: Where am I currently spending money? Where do I want to be spending money? What could I do to shift where I spend my money for better alignment? DOCUMENT A SYSTEM. We think of setting up systems as a big project. Start with what you already do. Document each step. Pay attention to how long each step takes. Schedule things. What parts of the system do you hate doing? Delegate or (if possible) delete. What parts don’t run smoothly? You can tweak your system once you have it set up.THINK LIKE A CLIENT. How can you make it easier for people to work with you? Take some time to visit websites of other people in your field. What is super clear and smooth? What feels hard to navigate? Do you know what to do when you land on the page? Can you find what you need? Take the best and bring it to your own site or process. Check your site or process for things that aren’t working.

As an introvert, I always knew that unstructured time is really necessary to thrive. What I never understood are the benefits of planning that time in advance! It’s life changing!!!! If you are an introvert or live with one, then listen in!

The key to growth is really challenging everything that we believe. –Dr. Michelle GordonDid Covid give you a wake up call? It’s never too late to change course as my guest proves. I’m talking with Dr. Michelle Gordon, surgeon turned coach who now helps entrepreneurs get past being stuck or burnt out to relaunch their lives. Whether it’s the pandemic, the end of a relationship, a death or health crisis … these turning points give us a place to relaunch.Sometimes the universe has to hit you over the head for change to happen. We have deep-seated, even subconscious, ideas about money and what we are supposed to do. We’ve internalized others’ expectations, and we get so stuck doing what we are doing, sometimes we don’t even realize we could change — but we can. It starts with challenging everything we believe. It takes letting go of the stories we tell ourselves. And we need to ask questions like, “What would it look like if …?” Dr. Michelle did all of these things and helps others make this transformation too.We talk about: Thinking about what we want without doing the things we want — and how to change thatWhy we need to think big to make things happenGetting stuck on pre-conditioned beliefs about moneyReplacing negative self-talk with positive talkSuccess stories of people who made big changes in their livesHow changing your place can help you change your thoughts and patternsBIODr. Michelle Gordon is a board certified general surgeon, author, and coach. She pivoted from medicine to coaching and helps exhausted high-achieving entrepreneurs relaunch their lives through transformational travel and coaching.LINKShttps://drgordon.me/discover.drgordon.mehttps://www.instagram.com/drmichellegordon/https://www.facebook.com/drmichellegordonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichellegordon/Launch Your Life PodcastFrom Overwhelm to EaseDoable Changes from this episode:TRY POSITIVE SELF-TALK. Dr. Michelle talks about changing negative self-talk about her body and her self. Whenever you hear yourself saying something you hate about yourself, change it to “I love …” See what flows from motivating yourself with love.QUESTION ONE BELIEF. What’s something you believe about yourself: I can’t make this much money any other way. I could never run a business. I’m not good with money … Question that. Challenge it. What if the opposite were true?GO SOMEPLACE NEW. Take yourself out of your house, your city, your usual routines. Go someplace new. It doesn’t have to be far or exotic (though it could be). Getting away from your usual place can help you step out of stale beliefs and thought patterns.

I am about to embark on a journey of deep care for my body that I know will result in losing, or better said, “releasing” some weight that landed on my body after an intense year in my life and also hormonally. I am noticing that I am not so attached to the weight (this time), and more to what it represents, and how to be the healthiest version of myself right now, in the most loving way possible. If you are interested in what I am thinking about as I make a plan for the next 8 weeks, this is the episode for you!If you are interested in any of the resources shared, please find them in the link in the bio of our Instagram feed @plansimple.co.This is part of a new solo series that will air each Saturday. To get notified, please make sure you are subscribed to the Plan Simple Podcast.

It's not about growing the audience. It's about getting to know the audience that you already have and see what you can offer them.  –Ina CoveneyYou don’t have to build your audience for your business to thrive. If you’ve been struggling to grow your audience or growing it but not seeing the results you want, you’ll want to listen to my conversation with Ina Coveney, a business coach who helps entrepreneurs with a small audience get clients.After years in corporate, she quit her job to start her own business. We talk how she actually left, about the flop of her first course, her start in helping people leave corporate jobs, and her pivot to helping entrepreneurs who are already committed build their businesses without building huge audiences. As part of all that, we dig into ideas about what you should or “have to” do and listening to your own intuition.Ina says that online business isn’t that different from in-person business — we just don’t know how to start conversations online. If you’ve ever been cold pitched in a DM, you know about people starting conversations that don’t feel good. What if you could learn to start conversations that DO feel good online? What if you could turn that into a successful business?We talk about: Translating an in-person business to the online worldKnowing your ideal client (and that it’s not everybody who follows you)How to connect by continuing a conversation instead of starting itHaving a conversation and getting to know people without making a pitch Making social media super easy with repurposing and simple post types and how to be consistent, even when your energy isn’tContinuing to move in the direction your intuition tells you to go, even if the destination keeps changingBIOIna Coveney is a business coach and host of The Global Phenomenon Podcast. She helps up-and-coming online coaches monetize their tiny audience through organic lead generation strategies before they invest time and money in audience growth. Ina reached 6-figures in her business before ever cracking 1,000 followers on any of her platforms, and her mission to help coaches do the same.LINKSInstagram @yourengagementcoach100 Engagement Post IdeasGet Clients Firsthttps://www.inacoveney.com/The Global Phenomenon PodcastSpeak Up with Alexia VernonDoable Changes from this episode:IDENTIFY YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS. This isn’t about creating an avatar. It’s looking at people who are following you (or maybe even people you are following) and seeing who feels like they might fit. Don’t overthink it. Just go with your gut. Then start a conversation. See where it goes. Some people may love what you do but not be a great client. That’s OK.CONTINUE A CONVERSATION. Instead of starting a conversation, you can continue one somebody else started on social media. Comment on or message somebody about something they posted. Don’t think of it as getting a client, just as having a conversation.CREATE SIMPLE SOCIAL POSTS. Pull a tip or quote from something you’ve already written. Pick an image and write a great caption. Find a post you shared a while ago and use it again. Create 5–10 and then schedule them.

Just because we have to take care of our children doesn't mean that we can't prioritize ourselves.  –Gianna DiggsHow do you prioritize yourself when you have kids and a business? You know you need to, but how does it actually happen? I’m talking with Gianna Diggs, a mindset and intuitive business coach for mom entrepreneurs about fitting self-care into your life, techniques for getting past your fears, and how understanding yourself better allows you to work with your own personal strengths and energies.You'll never get over a fear at every level, even when you’re doing great. There’s always the next level to unlock. Understanding that and having tools like affirmations and meditation to get past mindset blocks can help move through the things holding you back.Understanding yourself and how you work is important. You need to be in alignment with the decisions you make for your business, no matter what a coach or other advisor tells you. You need to be the authority of your business.We talk about: Using business astrology to help you work around difficultiesHow Human Design affects energy and how to find your Human Design typeUsing Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)  to work through fear or worthiness or other blocksWhat the RVI method (recognizing, validating, and implementing) is and how to use itPrioritizing yourself and making time to use the toolsHow you can prioritize yourself even while you prioritize your kidsBIOGianna Diggs is a #girlmom, Human Design enthusiast (6/2 Emotional Projector! ) Cancer sun, Leo moon and rising, lover of skittles, airheads, romance novels, 90’s Hip-Hop And R&B, and laughing until her belly aches!She uses intuitive and energetic modalities such as Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Time Techniques, Human Design, Gene Keys, and Business Astrology to help you release your limiting beliefs and blocks, stand in what makes you unique, and then use your uniqueness to gain clarity around how you can create more freedom to do the things you love.LINKS7-Days to Self-Care Free Challenge: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62ace0d4849e4b4fbbbea39fWaiting List for Self-Care Planner:https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62acede7849e4b4fbbbea3b1 https://www.giannadiggs.com/https://www.giannadiggs.com/podcast/Gianna on InstagramGianna on FacebookFigure out your human design: https://www.myhumandesign.com/get-your-chart/Science of DifferentiationSelf-Nurturing with Kelley GrimesDoable Changes from this episode:LEARN ABOUT YOUR HUMAN DESIGN TYPE. Start by finding out what you type is. Then read online or get a reading to help you understand your type and what that means for you in your life and business. TRY TAPPING. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or tapping is one of the techniques for getting past mindset blocks. We have a whole podcast on tapping. Give it a try. PICK ONE THING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. Gianna talked about getting her nails done. What’s your thing that makes you feel good? Notice if you find yourself resisting doing it. Work on the mindset around that. Then schedule time for your thing (and follow through!)