Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All With Nikki

You don’t have to be a mom to kids to understand responsibility, balance, and the pull toward something more. In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, Nikki sits down with Elena Elzz, a functional pharmacist, integrative health coach, and proud dog mom, to talk about building a purpose-driven career alongside a demanding job without quitting everything or burni...

What if building extra income didn’t require quitting your job, creating a product, or starting from scratch? In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, I sit down with pharmacist mom Dayle Diffey, who shares how she built a scalable side business in very part-time hours while still working full-time in retail pharmacy. Dayle opens up about her journey from launc...

This episode marks the beginning of a brand new season of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki. This is not just about motherhood anymore. This is about identity, ownership, and the quiet pull toward something more. In this episode, Nikki shares why this podcast is evolving to support moms who feel called to build, create, and reclaim parts of themselves that have been buried...

One year ago, I pressed record for the first time and almost talked myself out of it. I wondered who would listen. I questioned whether my voice mattered. I debated adding one more thing to an already full life. And yet, here we are one year, 52 episodes, and thousands of downloads later. This anniversary episode is a reflection on how Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki bega...

For years, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but now I finally understand why our family struggles in big systems. We are not a fan of big organizations. And it has nothing to do with size… it has everything to do with being seen and valued. From schools to sports, we have learned that our kids thrive in smaller environments where they are known, valued, and intentionally developed not treated...

We say we “lost our purpose.” We say we “lost our passion.” But what does that really mean? This week, after a conversation with my son’s friend’s mom, something hit me hard: Most moms cannot answer a simple question… If you had two hours completely to yourself what would you do? Not for your kids. Not for your spouse. Not for your job. Not for your house. For YOU. The truth is, most of us cannot...

Why do high-achieving moms give everything they have… and still feel invisible? This week, I talked to several pharmacist moms who are brilliant, talented, educated, and experienced yet feel undervalued, unfulfilled, and stuck. And the truth is: they are not alone. In this episode, we are diving into: 💛 Why moms burn out even when they love their families 💛 Why high-achieving women lose their se...

Why do moms keep saying yes… even when we are exhausted? Even when we know we do not have time? Even when it means more late nights and more chaos? This week, one tiny yes spiraled into a full-on heat press marathon...numbers, logos, sponsor patches, everything. My husband was frustrated. I was overwhelmed. And yet… the end result surprised me. One grateful coach. An unexpected business opportunit...

This episode starts with a Target run that turned into one of the most emotional moments of my entire motherhood journey. My kids, without being asked, reminded, or nudged, asked if they could go buy Thanksgiving gifts for each other… with their own money. My middle son even pulled out his birthday gift card and said he’d split it evenly so everyone could pick something for each other. And in that...

This week, I returned to my alma mater, Purdue University, for the College of Pharmacy Advisory Council meetings and something incredible happened. When I shared my story of helping pharmacist moms create side hustles to earn extra income and rediscover their purpose, something shifted. Several women came up to me afterward and said, “That’s exactly how I feel.” “I want that too.” These conversati...

Around this time last year, I did something that changed my life. I got on a plane, left my family at home, and went to my first-ever live event The It’s Her Turn Summit by Cathy Heller. It was the first time I had truly put myself first. I didn’t know anyone there. I didn’t know what to expect. But what I found was transformation...the kind that only happens when you take a leap of faith and choo...

When I left Purdue University in 2006, I vowed I’d never go back. Not because I didn’t love it...my six years there gave me some of the best memories of my life but because the way it ended left me heartbroken. I wanted to forget it all and start fresh. So I did. But sometimes, God has a way of bringing you right back to the place you thought you’d left behind… not to relive the pain, but to rewri...

It’s the question every parent hears at least once a weekend: “So… how many games do you have today?” And honestly? I never know how to answer. Between three kids, five soccer games, two tennis matches, diving practice, and coaching toddler soccer it’s a full-time job just keeping track of who’s playing where. This weekend alone, we had seven games, two practices, and about a hundred snack breaks...

Have you ever hit a point where you just wanted to quit...on everything? The business. The activities. The endless to-do list. Last week, I was there. I prayed and asked God, “Am I even supposed to be doing all this?” And then… He answered. That same afternoon, my daughter walked into my office holding a huge bouquet of roses and tulips...my favorites. It was from one of my clients, completely une...

Being a mom, wife, and entrepreneur sometimes feels like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle—blindfolded. 🔥 You’re balancing work, kids, business, relationships, and trying to keep it all from crashing down. And lately? I’ve been there...deep in the exhaustion, wondering, “Is it even worth it?” In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, I’m opening...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly fighting for your kids at school, on the field, or in the classroom...you’re not imagining it. This year alone, I’ve had to step in when: A teacher marked an assignment as missing even though it was fully completed. A soccer coach skipped the very skills and agility training we signed up for. My youngest was stuck sitting next to disruptive kids in a clas...

At my kids’ tennis practice this week, I heard something unfold that hit me right in the heart. One coach complimented a mom’s daughter, calling her a future rock star. Amazing, right? But another mom walked away upset because her daughter didn’t get the same praise. She felt like her child was just as good, maybe even better, and she couldn’t understand why nothing was said about her. It made me...

Growing up, I never felt good enough. My mom never told me she loved me, and I often felt like her love was conditional...tied to whether or not I met her expectations. I promised myself I’d never repeat that pattern with my kids. And yet… here I am, realizing that in different ways, I’m still passing down the weight of expectations. In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It Al...

Have you ever thought about starting a side hustle or business of your own but stopped because you didn’t know what to sell or how to begin? That’s exactly why Russell Brunson (the creator of ClickFunnels) launched OfferLab and it’s one of the best opportunities I’ve ever seen for moms who want to start something of their own without the overwhelm. Here’s why: It’s free to join (for now!) You don’...

Four weeks. Four states. Countless memories… and two very exhausted parents. From California for my daughter’s national diving competition, to Missouri for my dad’s 80th, to New York for my high school reunion, and finally Florida for the grand opening of Universal Studios Epic...we did it all. And here’s the truth: we did it all for the kids… while putting our sanity on the line in the process. B...

This summer was packed with travel, memories, and chaos and as much as I loved it, I have to admit… I felt a huge sense of relief when my kids went back to school. And then? The mom guilt hit. If you’ve ever felt torn between loving every moment with your kids and craving the structure that school and routines bring, this episode is for you. I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes of our summer travels,...

I’m in good shape. I eat clean. I run most days. I have a four-pack on top and toned obliques… but no matter what I do, the stubborn C-section pouch below my belly button won’t budge. And I know I’m not the only mom dealing with the mom pooch after pregnancy and C-sections. In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, I’m opening up about my personal post-C-section...

What if you finally sat down to write the story that’s been on your heart and not only finished it, but published it on your own terms? In this episode of Struggle & Strength: Moms Balancing It All with Nikki, I sit down with author and self-publisher Shilo Creed, creator of the Plunge series...stories she describes as “Pilgrim’s Progress meets Marvel.” Shilo opens up about her journey as a mo...