This week, Krista and Samantha sit down with Janelle Nelissen, brand strategist and founder of Sage Creatives, for an honest and expansive conversation about what it means to be ambitious after motherhood—and how the journey doesn’t always look like the plan.
Janelle became a mother just weeks before the COVID lockdown, and what followed was a deep reckoning with identity, postpartum depression, and the pressure to perform. They talk about how success shifts in the wake of major life changes, how creativity can become a tether back to self, and why building something meaningful doesn’t have to mean building it fast.
This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt the tug between ambition and presence—and needed the reminder that you can create something you’re proud of, even in the mess. Especially in the mess.
Takeaways & Merit Badges Earned:
👶 Becoming a parent during a pandemic adds layers to identity shifts.
🌀 Postpartum depression changes how you view yourself and your work.
🪞 You’re allowed to redefine success—and keep redefining it.
🧠 Being present with your kids is productive.
🎨 Creative work can be both healing and strategic.
🧱 You don’t have to build fast to build well.
👯♀️ Community and conversation can carry you through the fog.
👧 It’s powerful to model self-trust and slow ambition for your kids.
📝 You can write your own rules—again and again.
🔥 Ambition doesn’t have to look like hustle.
✨ Want to learn more about Janelle’s work?
Check out her studio: The Sage Creatives
Follow her on Instagram: @janelle.nelissen
💌 Hang out with us on Instagram: @MamaMeritBadge
⭐️ If this episode resonated, share it with someone who’s finding their way through a new season—and don’t forget to leave a review if you loved it.