Thinking That Matters with Elizabeth Mahusay

Delegating something and letting go of it are two different things.For many women who build businesses, and for any leader who has been the "chief everything officer" for too long, the hard part often isn't finding help. It's trusting.In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I welcome Kristin Merron and Jennifer McKee, co-founders of Mom Brain Media, a marketing strategy company that also creates events for women in business. They met in an early childhood PTA while their youngest children were babies, and a coffee conversation eventually became a company and a true 50-50 partnership.Together, they explore what it takes to build something with another person, why "mom brain" is a strength rather than a liability, and how the thoughts we carry about competition, capacity, and our own titles can quietly hold us back.This conversation matters because so many capable leaders assume that holding on tighter is the responsible thing to do. Kristen and Jen offer a healthier picture: partnership built on trust, strengths named out loud, and strategy that fits the season your business is actually in.We discussed:Why they reclaimed "mom brain" as a strength and how it became the name of their companyWhat it means to be each other's "who," and how the right partner can be the push that gets you to step outWhy delegation only works when you mentally let go, and what to do when you can'tThree things that make delegation work: full task ownership, letting people shine in their strengths, and honest communicationThe conversations they had before signing a 50-50 partnership, including how they'd handle a disagreementWhy spending your thinking time on competitors is exhausting, and what to focus on insteadWhy so many women running real businesses still call them a "side hustle," and why owning what you've built comes firstBecause when you build a mindset of thinking that matters, you can build a business that matters.Something to consider: Where are you still holding tightly to something you've already handed off? About Kristin Merron and Jen McKee:Kristin Merron and Jen McKee are the co-founders of Mom Brain Media®, a creator-powered media company helping rising creators and small businesses build visibility, connection, and legacy through strategic storytelling and community-driven amplification. With backgrounds spanning journalism, public relations, marketing, business development, public education, and community-building, they help remarkable people and brands become impossible to overlook. Their Market Like a Mother™ philosophy challenges transactional, attention-at-all-costs marketing. Instead, they believe the strongest brands are built by listening closely, communicating with clarity, earning trust, and using your influence to create opportunities for others.  Connect with Mom Brain Media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbrainmedia/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MomBrainMediaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mom-brain-media/ Know someone building a business who could use this conversation? Share this episode with her, or with anyone ready to trust a little more and carry a little less.  ________💡 Join the Women Growth Group for live, in-person training that empowers your potential and connects you with a vibrant community of growth-minded women! https://linktr.ee/gowithelizabeth Stay connected with Elizabeth on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethbmahusayInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebmahusay/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethMahusayWebsite: https://elizabethmahusay.com/________ Ready to shift the way you think and lead?Pick Your Path by Elizabeth Mahusay is now available! Start learning how to break limiting thought patterns, strengthen your mindset, and step into more intentional leadership.👉 Order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Your-Path-Leadership-Course-ebook/dp/B0H24Q8DYX? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you've ever told yourself "I'll just do it myself, it's faster," this conversation is for you. In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Alexandra Phoenix, known as Alex, founder of Crimson Create Studio, a branding and creative studio in McKinney, Texas. Alex brings a classically trained artist's eye and a business builder's mindset to a conversation that moves from perfectionism and delegation to the way social media has quietly warped what "success" is supposed to look like.What makes this episode worth your time is how honestly Alex traces her own overachievement rating herself a "20 out of 10" back to a belief she carried for years: that being competent meant being indispensable. That belief served her for a season. Eventually, it started costing her the very relationships and rest she needed to build something sustainable.We discussed:Why overachievers often hold onto tasks out of a belief that "it's my problem, I'll solve it" and how that becomes its own kind of burnoutThe difference between healthy ownership and the extreme self-reliance that quietly limits a team or a businessHow perfectionism can disguise itself as high standards, and why Alex had to unlearn the belief that she couldn't put her work out until it was flawlessWhy "rushing to be successful" often trades long-term wisdom for a shortcut that never actually arrivesA candid look at social media as an attention economy, and how it has reshaped what people believe normal disagreement, success, and even sadness are supposed to look likeWhy thinking long-term about a business, its reputation, its brand, its legacy, requires slowing down firstAlex's approach to building brand identity from the inside out, starting with vision and values before a single visual is created A question worth sitting with: Where in your own life or leadership are you carrying something simply because you believe you're the only one capable of carrying it well?Ready to bring more clarity and cohesion to your brand? Book a 90-minute Brand Strategy Session with Alex Phoenix at www.crimsoncreates.com/strategysession.  About Alexandra PhoenixAlexandra Phoenix is the founder and creative director of Crimson Creates Studio, a Dallas-based brand development and creative studio. Classically trained in fine art, with studies in graphic design and illustration, Alexandra brings more than a decade of experience across branding, design, startups, publishing, and creative direction. Through Crimson Creates Studio, she helps businesses build cohesive brand identities through strategy, storytelling, visual design, and web development. She also teaches art and design and writes about branding and design on Substack Connect with Alex:substack: www.crimsoncreates.com/@crimsoncreateswebsite: www.crimsoncreates.com Loved this episode? Follow, rate, and review the podcast. Because when you cultivate thinking that matters, you live a life that matters and if this conversation stirred something, subscribe to the newsletter to continue thinking it through.  ________💡 Join the Women Growth Group for live, in-person training that empowers your potential and connects you with a vibrant community of growth-minded women! https://linktr.ee/gowithelizabeth Stay connected with Elizabeth on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethbmahusayInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebmahusay/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethMahusayWebsite: https://elizabethmahusay.com/  Ready to shift the way you think and lead?Pick Your Path by Elizabeth Mahusay is now available! Start learning how to break limiting thought patterns, strengthen your mindset, and step into more intentional leadership.👉 Order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Your-Path-Leadership-Course-ebook/dp/B0H24Q8DYX? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you've ever stayed late at work, said yes to one more favor, or quietly kept score of how much you're doing for everyone else, this episode is for you.In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Angela Piper, a director of operations, mom of three, and self-described "recovering people-pleaser," to unpack a thought pattern that hides in plain sight: overachievement that looks like helping.Angela shares how a belief passed down through her family that you can either love what you do or support your family, but not both quietly shaped her sense of worth for years. What she originally diagnosed as "just" people-pleasing turned out to be something deeper: a pattern of tying her value to how much she could do for other people.This conversation matters for any leader, parent, or overachiever who has ever confused being needed with being valuable. Together, we work through the difference between helping because you genuinely want to and helping to earn a "gold star" and why that distinction changes everything about how you lead, parent, and show up in relationships.Key takeaways:People-pleasing can disguise itself as overachievement. Angela didn't recognize herself as an overachiever because she measured it against straight A's not against an unrelenting need to be liked and needed.A generational belief  "you can love your work, or you can provide for your family, but not both" shaped Angela's thinking about ambition and money long before she consciously noticed it.Two thought disruptors worth carrying with you: What is my yes costing? and Who is actually going to notice?The amount you give someone doesn't add to or subtract from your value. People remember how you made them feel, not how much you did for them.Checking your motive is a discipline. Angela now asks herself, "Am I helping because I want to, or because I want the gold star?" before saying yes.Parenting differently: instead of handing her kids the plan, Angela asks questions that help them build their own so the goal belongs to them, not to her.A lifetime of reading expanded the grace Angela extends to people whose lives, thinking, and upbringing look nothing like her own.Reflect on this: If you say yes to this, what are you actually saying no to and to whom? About Angela Piper: Angela Piper is the Director of Operations at Far Beyond Marketing, where she turns creative chaos into coordinated systems with tangible results.A McKinney, Texas native and lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan, Angela returned home after spending three years in Spain with her husband and three children. As the daughter of an English professor and a librarian, she has been a lifelong reader and believes books are one of the best ways to understand people who see the world differently.That belief also shapes how Angela serves her community and raises her family. She is especially passionate about accessibility, financial, educational, and social, and spends much of her time volunteering, mentoring, and helping people bridge differences in class, neighborhood, religion, and politics through greater understanding and connection. Connect with her:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelapiper/ Loved this episode? Subscribe to Thinking That Matters so you don't miss future conversations on overachievement, self-reliance, and cultivating thinking that matters. ________💡 Join the Women Growth Group for live, in-person training that empowers your potential and connects you with a vibrant community of growth-minded women! https://linktr.ee/gowithelizabeth Stay connected with Elizabeth on social media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethbmahusayInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebmahusay/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethMahusayWebsite: https://elizabethmahusay.com/__________ Ready to shift the way you think and lead?Pick Your Path by Elizabeth Mahusay is now available! Start learning how to break limiting thought patterns, strengthen your mindset, and step into more intentional leadership.👉 Order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Your-Path-Leadership-Course-ebook/dp/B0H24Q8DYX? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if some of your greatest achievements have been fueled by a question you didn’t even realize you were asking: Am I good enough? For high achievers, doing more can feel responsible. Carrying more can feel capable. Being the person who keeps everything together can even look like leadership. But what happens when achievement becomes part of how you prove your worth? In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with Amanda Martin, CEO and co-owner of Alliance Direct, to talk about achievement, identity, leadership, and learning to let go of the need to prove yourself. Amanda describes herself as a “15” on a 1-to-10 achievement scale. She shares how childhood expectations, competition, motherhood, career, and entrepreneurship shaped her drive to achieve and how she eventually began questioning the belief that more was always better. We talk about: The connection between feeling “good enough” and overachieving Why achievements and accolades don’t define who we are The hidden cost of constantly carrying more Why high achievers struggle to delegate and let go What happens when we stop fighting to prove we belong Redefining success around service rather than accomplishment This conversation leaves us with a question worth considering: What are you still carrying because you’ve convinced yourself you’re the one who has to hold it all together? Maybe the next step isn’t achieving more. Maybe it’s examining what’s driving the achievement.   ____ About Amanda Martin Amanda Martin is the CEO and co-owner of Alliance Direct, a Dallas–Fort Worth company specializing in epoxy coatings, decorative concrete, and finished concrete flooring for residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. An entrepreneur with a background in sales, relationship-building, and business development, Amanda has spent much of her career building organizations and helping businesses grow. Today, Amanda leads Alliance Direct alongside her husband, Craig, bringing together her passion for people and business with their commitment to quality craftsmanship and service throughout the DFW area.  Connect with Amanda: Website:https://alliancedirectservices.com/ Email: [email protected] Office: 469-530-2525   ________ 💡 Join the Women Growth Group for live, in-person training that empowers your potential and connects you with a vibrant community of growth-minded women! https://linktr.ee/gowithelizabeth   Stay connected with Elizabeth on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethbmahusay Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebmahusay/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethMahusay Website: https://elizabethmahusay.com/ ___________ Ready to shift the way you think and lead?Pick Your Path by Elizabeth Mahusay is now available! Start learning how to break limiting thought patterns, strengthen your mindset, and step into more intentional leadership.👉 Order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Your-Path-Leadership-Course-ebook/dp/B0H24Q8DYX? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when you work hard, prepare well, and still don’t get the outcome you wanted? For high achievers, disappointing results can quickly become personal. Instead of asking, “What can I learn from this?” we start wondering, “What does this say about me?” In this episode of Thinking That Matters, I sit down with criminal defense attorney Morgan McNabb to talk about imposter syndrome, professional identity, pressure, comparison, and learning to separate your worth from outcomes you cannot fully control. Morgan shares how law school challenged her confidence, why being surrounded by highly accomplished people made comparison tempting, and how courtroom experience taught her to focus less on what others think and more on what she can actually learn and improve. Together, we discuss: How imposter syndrome can make capable people question whether they belong Why comparison becomes dangerous in high-pressure environments Turning difficult experiences into opportunities for growth The difference between responsibility and trying to control every outcome Why your career should never become your entire identity How overachievers can learn to ask for help Separating what happened from what you believe it says about you One important reminder from this conversation: you can take responsibility for your growth without making every result a judgment about your worth. A question to consider: When something doesn’t go the way you hoped, do you treat the outcome as information or as evidence about who you are? If this conversation gives you something worth reconsidering, follow Thinking That Matters and continue cultivating thinking that matters. ____ About Morgan: Morgan McNabb is a West Texas native and criminal defense attorney. She graduated magna cum laude from Texas Tech University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Forensic Science before earning her law degree from Texas Tech in 2020. Since graduation, Morgan has practiced exclusively in criminal defense, representing clients in state-level cases ranging from Class C misdemeanors to first-degree felony offenses. Connect with Morgan: https://www.texasdefensefirm.com/about-us/our-attorneys/morgan-mcnabb/ ________ 💡 Join the Women Growth Group for live, in-person training that empowers your potential and connects you with a vibrant community of growth-minded women! https://linktr.ee/gowithelizabeth Stay connected with Elizabeth on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethbmahusay Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebmahusay/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethMahusay Website: https://elizabethmahusay.com/ ______ Ready to shift the way you think and lead?Pick Your Path by Elizabeth Mahusay is now available! Start learning how to break limiting thought patterns, strengthen your mindset, and step into more intentional leadership.👉 Order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Pick-Your-Path-Leadership-Course-ebook/dp/B0H24Q8DYX? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.