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Woman Wednesday: Stacy S.

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Q and A with Stacy, East Bethel, Minneapolis

“Take the first step toward your dream today!“


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am a teacher of 16 years, a self-published children’s author of 2 years, a business owner (publishing company), a mom, and a wife. I am passionate about children, teaching, reading, writing, music, and inspiring and empowering others to pursue their dreams. I’ve wanted to be a teacher, mom, and author since I was little. I attended college to be a teacher, taught for years (everything from kindergarten to middle school math), got married, had 2 kids [of my own], and then decided to publish a book. I thought it would be easy, and it wasn’t! But I am a self-starter and persistent, so I kept at it until I figured it out!

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis with my parents and two sisters. As children, we played “school” a lot. I wrote stories and read tons of books. I started playing piano at age 10; music has always been a huge part of my life. My parents always pushed me to do my best, never give up, and work hard to achieve my goals.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: I’ve learned so many valuable things in my life. Set goals, dream big, take risks, believe in yourself…they all might sound “cliche,” but they are SO true! I said these to my students over and over again during my teaching career, and now, I say them to aspiring authors and others who haven’t yet pursued their own dreams (and to myself). I was never a risk taker by nature…I like things comfortable. I’m very logical and think things through (a lot) before taking the next step. As I entered the publishing world, I realized that I would need to push myself out of my comfort zone. I would need to become a risk taker in order to see this through. And I have!

Q: What can you tell readers about self-publishing?

A: In the past 2 years, I have run 3 successful Kickstarter campaigns, raising over $20,000 to publish my 3 hardcover books. I have started my own publishing company, Hop Off the Press, LLC. I have created an online school to help other aspiring authors. Check it out by clicking here.

I have created a website, done over 100 school author visits, published 5 books, a coloring book, and created custom-made stuffed kangaroos and enamel pins to go with my series. I have learned how to market on social media, run Amazon ads, sold over 20,000 books, have books for sale in over 25 local shops, done dozens of local author events and now do consulting with other aspiring authors. When I started out in the publishing business, I knew nothing about business, marketing, publishing, websites, social media…NOTHING! I learned it all by watching other successful authors, reading articles, asking questions, joining author FB groups, taking courses, and watching videos. If I can do it, you can, too! Take the first step toward your dream today!

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: To me, feminism means empowering women to take risks, set goals, and take steps toward achieving their dreams. It means lifting other women up, not bringing them down. It means inspiring and encouraging each other to do better, to believe in ourselves, and to make the world a better place.

Thank you for reading!

Connect with me here: https://stacycbauer.com/

I’d love to connect with you!


Thoughts, questions, or comments?

Comment below! 🙂

Woman Wednesday: Nina C.

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Q and A with Nina, New York City, New York

“Getting up and facing the challenges will sometimes seem insurmountable, and you’d rather stay in bed. Get up. Keep asking questions and pushing limits and know that even if you fall, you’re going to learn something, something really valuable, and that bit of feedback will propel you further forward.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: What am I passionate about? I’ve given this a lot of thought, especially during this pandemic when much of my industry as a Pilates trainer and swim instructor is on hiatus. My “WHY” is to inspire everyone to push out of their comfort zone so that we can experience life with more gusto and do the things we never thought possible. Whether as a Pilates instructor or swim instructor or someone who trains the senior population, it is always inspiring and literally moves me to tears when I watch them accomplish things they never thought possible—from an eight-year-old swimmer who can swim 100 meters and never thought she could do it to a client in a Pilates studio doing a walk over to one of my wonderful seniors picking up a heavier weight because what she’s been using she has decided is too light for her.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I am a native New Yorker, born here in Manhattan. I grew up on Long Island, went to New York University, and got a job in Corporate America. I’m very good at moving paper from one part of my desk to another, but that was never terribly fulfilling. I started to teach group fitness part time and realized I loved it and didn’t want to work in an office anymore. That sounds really simplistic; the transition took a lot longer and, at times, was really painful. But every day, I embrace this choice and I know it was worth it. I think my dad influenced me the most in that he knew and always encouraged me to be someone who never gave up—to pick myself back up even when I felt frustrated or defeated and try things again. He fostered a resilience that I have needed more than ever, especially in the last few months.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Something valuable I’ve learned that is something other people might want to take away from my personal story is not to give up. Things are going to be stinking hard some days. Getting up and facing the challenges will sometimes seem insurmountable, and you’d rather stay in bed. Get up. Keep asking questions and pushing limits and know that even if you fall, you’re going to learn something, something really valuable, and that bit of feedback will propel you further forward.

Caption: The Santa suit was me teaching my senior fitness classes this December. It was so fun and special. We have to be able to laugh at ourselves, right?

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism means standing up for yourself. It’s more than equal pay for equal work, which I believe in. It’s about every little thing in the world that you encounter—as a woman—that tries to knock you down. To stand up for yourself as a woman. For so long, I brushed a lot of things off that really bothered me because I didn’t think speaking up would be meaningful. Now, I’m a little older, and hopefully, a little wiser, and I don’t have a problem when things are unfair in saying something. Feminism is about the courage to buck the system and demand to be treated equally and with dignity and respect—to be spoken to in a civil way at all times and to be able to walk away from every situation with your whole self intact.

Thank you for reading!

Connect with me here: http://www.ninacarras.com/

I’d love to connect with you!


Thoughts, questions, or comments?

Comment below! 🙂

Woman Wednesday: Louise T.

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Q and A with Louise Tyrrell, Dublin, Ireland

“Life is like an ice-cream…enjoy it before it melts…”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: As I contemplate this question, my eyes glance over the photo above. It was a cold day in Dublin when the women arrived for their Winter Wellness Retreat.  Some arrived with the worries of the world on their shoulders, and you could see signs on a few faces that they really needed this well-deserved time out to let go of stress and strain so that they could relax and feel on top of the world again!

Following this fabulous day filled with gentle yoga, mindful meditations, soothing aromatherapy, and inspirational messages, everyone went home feeling refreshed, lighter, and peaceful. Even though I hosted the event, I felt totally energized and thrilled to see their transformations. That’s my passion!  Empowering women to recharge and rise and shine for midlife success by sharing what I have experienced on my personal and professional journey. 

While recovering from a car accident in the 1990’s, I discovered yoga, and it’s amazing healing powers that took me from waiting on a hospital list for spinal surgery to making a full recovery and training as a yoga teacher.  Leaving my business analyst career in corporate Dublin to set up one of the first holistic health and well-being centers in Ireland was a great decision and sparked an interest for further training in stress management, psychotherapy, meditation, mindfulness, aromatherapy, and dietetics.

I absolutely adore working, and when the coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of all our wellness classes and events, it was time to pivot and go online.  As anxiety levels escalated, I started sharing on social media; stress relief strategies to sprinkle through the day so that we survive and thrive through challenging times. Invitations to appear as a guest speaker on virtual events flood in and we continue to offer a Free 7 Day Beginners Yoga challenge from the comfort of home.   Having spent time training on hosting virtual events, our yoga classes and Women’s Wellness Retreats are now available online so that you can continue to stay well. I never thought I’d say it, but another passion these days is access to the internet and being able to inspire women worldwide.

Despite many set-backs, at 53, I’m delighted to have the energy for life’s ups and downs and grateful for all the life-skills I learned from my mentors, most of who I trained with in person, including Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr Deepak Chopra, Eckhart Tolle, Tony Robbins, Robert Holden, John Assaraf, Bob Proctor, T Harv Eker, and Susan Jeffers. 

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: Growing up in Dublin during the 60’s, 70’s, and beyond was wonderful.  While we didn’t have a lot of the luxuries we have today, we had a great sense of family, friendship, and community.  I’m the eldest of 5, and my sisters and brother sometimes remind me that I was very serious growing up.  Thankfully, I lost that seriousness somewhere along the way, and nowadays, my focus is on fun and laughter.  Looking back, I recall the excitement we felt when we got our first television with 6 channels! Apart from a few years being bullied at school, my childhood was happy. I loved singing, dancing, and acting, and one of my highlights was playing the part of the wicked step-mother in Cinderella in a big theater in Dublin. 

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: After my dad passed away, I struggled with stress, sleepless nights, and time off work as my health started to slide down a slippery slope.  Like a lot of women in midlife, I was also going through the menopause.  My weight increased and my body ached a lot.  One night, I lay awake tossing and turning, thinking about the possibility of a miracle to turn it all around.  While I do believe in miracles, I also believe that the power to change how we feel is in our own hands, and it was time for me to take control and change the course of my health.  So, I set about practicing what I teach, and in time, turned it around. Health is your greatest asset, a wonderful gift to be treasured!

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: During my lifetime and without going too deep into the matter, I observed that in the 60’s and 70’s when a woman got married, she was expected to stop working so that she could stay at home to look after the children, clean the house, and cook her husband’s dinner. When I was working in the 1980’s, most managers in the company were men.  Thankfully today, things are continuing to change and it is more widely acknowledged that women and men should have equal rights and equal opportunities, but we still have a long way to go.

Thank you for reading!

To conclude, I would like to thank you.  I hope you found value in this feature, and I look forward to keeping in contact with you.  You will find lots of fabulous free resources and my social media links when you VISIT: https://louisetyrrell.com.

I’d love to connect with you!


Thoughts, questions, or comments?

Comment below! 🙂

Woman Wednesday: Katia

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*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.              

Q and A with Katia, Montreal, Quebec

“The good part is the more energy and excitement you have about your business, the more people gravitate towards you and the more opportunities come your way.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I have been a photographer for a long time. I wasn’t always a food photographer, but right out of college, I knew I wanted to do photography. It is however a tough, tough industry and decided to work in marketing instead since there was a lot more employment opportunities. Having gone through an extremely negative work culture and some really nasty colleagues, I decided that I was done with working for someone else. In this destructive process I had also gone through some pretty severe health problems and needed to rebuild myself. I decided to focus on my health and well-being rather than focusing my energies on someone else’s business. Through my lens, I was able find a lot of self healing potential by creating delicious wholesome recipes and beautiful pieces of artwork with them. Since 2017, my plates have been my canvases.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: Growing up, we would always eat healthy. My mother instilled in me respect for the food that we ate by growing our own vegetables and taking care in creating wholesome meals made from scratch. We would never eat prepared, microwaveable meals nor take out, it was always made from scratch. As I grew up, I continued that tradition and I think it is why I love to cook so much. In a lot of my blog postings, I reminisce about mom’s cooking. I often put in my own little touch, but it is usually something that is dear to me.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Starting a business is not as glamorous as or as easy you might think. Unless you find that miraculous product that has no competition and everyone has just always knowingly needed it, it’s a struggle to the top and to get known. Yes, there are a lot of advantages for being your own boss, but there are a lot of disadvantages. One of my biggest personal downfalls is my discipline. If I don’t see an immediate benefit, I tend to get lazy and put it off, especially with a blog. You just gotta work and work and work….and when you think you have done enough and can’t do any more, well, double the amount of work that you have just done, then you’re good and you can sleep at night saying, “I did everything that I could do.” Then do that every single day of the week. You have to find that fire in you, the one that wants to prove to everyone that you can do it cause if you don’t, you will fail. The good part is the more energy and excitement you have about your business, the more people gravitate towards you and the more opportunities come your way.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism is about believing that women are just as good as men and should be treated as such. I feel there is some kind of an amazonian stigma attached to naming yourself as a feminist; therefore, a lot of women are afraid to be associated with that stereotype in fears of being perceived as a man hater. It’s a positive movement, not a negative one. Everyone should be a feminist. Whether or not you choose to actively fight for women’s rights, you are still a feminist. It’s not about being extremist and protesting shocking ways or hating men…not at all. They are people (men too) who believe that women are equal to men in all the important aspects.    

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you!

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Woman Wednesday: Ramona

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*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.              

Q and A with Ramona, Bucharest, Romania

“Art can give us strength to carry on, courage to push through.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am passionate about empowering, uplifting, and bringing joy into people’s lives through art. During the lockdown, I started a series of paintings called Urban Queen. Initially, I gave up my studio and planned to relax at home for a month or so. I was planning to do all the things I never have time to do like reorganize my wardrobe, read, and drink cocktails on my terrace. It didn’t last long. One day I read an article in Forbes magazine about the 7 women head of states and how they dealt with the pandemic. I started thinking about all the women in lockdown, all the unsung heroes, and the women who are leaders in their own way, whether it’s in their home or in their community. I had an urge to paint these women, so I set up a home studio and ended up working 12-hour days for 2 months straight. I took over the living room, and my family got used to fending for themselves.

Through my paintings, I want to bring every woman into the spotlight who runs her household, raises her children, puts up with her boss, looks after her health, and shows the strength and courage in her everyday life. I started sharing my art online and the response I had from women all over the world was incredible. Art has the power to move people at a very deep level and women connected with the paintings in a way I didn’t expect. I had hundreds of messages from women telling me what these paintings mean to them and how they make them feel. Stronger, powerful, self-confident.

A deeply moving experience was talking with Kristen, a nurse on the front lines in San Francisco. She was working crazy hours, doing loads of overtime when the hospital needed her, only taking breaks and resting in her car when she was on call. We messaged each other and spoke a lot. She told me, “I’m scared, inspired, and empowered raising girls during this time! These paintings spoke to me on such a deep level as a nurse on the front lines and mother of two daughters. Seriously, these paintings blew my mind on so many levels.” This expresses what I paint for: the power of art to lift our souls. It reminds us that we are magnificent beings capable of doing so much good in the world. Art can give us strength to carry on, courage to push through.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up in a totalitarian communist regime where ‘freedom’ was nonexistent and food shortages, fear, and persecution was part of the daily life. I hated the system that imprisoned my grandfather, I hated the fact that everything was grey. When I was about 12, I saw a book on Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel. I was so moved by the art, the colors, the beauty that I decided there and then that if I can get out of the country, I would leave and never come back. That chance came when I was 18 years old, so armed with big dreams and a bag full of clothes, I made it to London, UK, all by myself.


I wanted to finish my education, so I was going to college during the day and working evenings and weekends. It was then when I discovered painting. I thought it was the most amazing thing in the world. I would stay up really late at night to finish my paintings assignments. However, the mentality I grew up with was that of the ‘starving artist,’ so instead I pursued a career in fashion where I thought, worst case scenario, I can get a job as a seamstress. Instead, at the age of 25, I opened my business, a fashion label that expanded rapidly selling in 300 boutiques all over the UK.
Time passed, I fell in love, got married, and had our daughter. In 2009, my family and I moved back to my native Romania. This was now a totally different country I didn’t recognize.


Liberated from communist regime, the country was flourishing and exciting. I started an interior design business that made six figures in the first year. Still, painting was something I was called to do all my life, so I started painting again, at night time and during the weekends. In 2013, I was invited to exhibit in Miami, during the famous Art Basel. That was all I needed to get me to pursue my long life dream. Shortly after I walked into my office and told all my staff that I would be closing the business in order to pursue a career as an artist. I was 40 years old! It was a bold, crazy move and what followed was a few years of really hard work. As a self-taught artist, I made a point on working extra hard on my technique as well as finding my artistic voice. And still, I didn’t feel “worthy” unless my art was validated by the “art establishment.” When my family and I moved back to the UK in 2018, I got the validation I thought I needed by working with some well established art galleries, exhibiting in central London, selling my art to important collectors.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Life is about constantly learning, growing, and evolving. Painting the Urban Queen series has taught me my latest lesson: I don’t need the art establishment to validate me or my art. I am a queen and I wear my crown with pride. At the same time, my biggest lesson that I’ve learned is that “I am on Purpose.” I have been searching for purpose, for the best part of my life, and asked myself many times, “How can I live on purpose?” I think Urban Queen has provided me with the answer. When you are passionate about what you do AND you serve others, you are living with purpose.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism is reestablishing the balance between feminine and masculine. It’s recognizing and honoring our differences. It’s understanding that vulnerability, sensitivity, intuition, creativity, and nurturing are very important qualities the world needs. They are not weakness as we were raised to believe. We don’t need to be like men. We need to connect to our own inner feminine qualities and lead from there.

Q: Would you like readers to know anything else?

A: I would say honor yourself. Women are used to doing everything for everyone else first, and we leave ourselves last. I am also guilty of that sometimes, and it’s something I’m still working on. To me, honoring yourself means working on your mindset, learning to appreciate what’s important in life, being grateful, being inspired, treating yourself, and most importantly, loving yourself. Find the Queen within!

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you!

Website: https://ramonapintea.com/

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