The Balance Dilemma

Silvia Baldini built a successful career as an award-winning art director and creative director on Madison Avenue — then walked away to start over in a kitchen. The result? A Le Cordon Bleu education, training at the Ritz in London, a Chopped championship, two cookbooks, and Strawberry and Sage, a culinary venture built around food, sustainability, and community — with other women at the table alo...

Postpartum. Cancer treatment. Perimenopause. Menopause. Night sweats don't care why you have them — and for too long, nothing on the market did either. Katya Eckert decided to fix that, and A DOMANI® was born. She came to the US from Russia at age seven. Her family arrived with a hundred dollars, a box of books, and a guitar. She spent 15 years on a Wall Street derivatives desk. And then one very...

Belle Burden's memoir Strangers — which began as a viral New York Times Modern Love essay and is already being adapted for film starring Gwyneth Paltrow — is the story every married (unmarried) woman needs to read. It's the account of a woman whose husband of 20 years walked out during COVID with no warning, leaving her exposed because of  financial and legal decisions she'd made throu...

Amanda DePalma didn't plan on a detour. She had a self-designed college major, a passion for events, and a clear vision for her career — until 2008 arrived and the bottom fell out. Getting laid off early in her career was a blow to her Type-A perfectionist soul. But that "stop" on the way to somewhere else led to her husband, her master's degree, and ultimately, her role as Senior Vice President o...

Annabel Monaghan didn’t set out to become a bestselling novelist—at least not on a straight path. She worked in finance, raised three kids, said yes to things she didn’t want to do, and put writing on hold longer than she’d like to admit. Now, she writes the kind of love stories readers can’t stop talking about—funny, deeply relatable, and full of women who are holding everything together… until s...

What does it take to sustain a 38-year creative partnership — and friendship — through divorce, death, partnership, relocation, and countless life transformations? Margaret Crane and Barbara Ballinger, co-authors of Not Dead Yet, Suddenly Single After 50 , and Kitchen Conversations, as well as lifelessonsat50plus.com , share their unfiltered insights on collaborative writing, making new friends in...

Ever dreamed of picking up and moving to Europe? Angela Hanyak actually did it—and she's sharing everything she learned along the way. Angela takes us through her journey from Charleston, South Carolina to Frankfurt, Germany. But this isn't your typical "I sold everything and became a digital nomad" story. Angela moved abroad with her corporate job, navigated the complexities of...

Fashion designer Andrea Moore Beaulieu had a literal dream that told her to open a store. Weeks later, she did—and The Makers NY in Larchmont was born. Now, less than two years later, she presented her designs during Paris Fashion Week, and her clothing has been seen in Vogue and other fashion magazines. In this episode, Andrea shares how she sews every garment herself while raising three kids (in...

The college diploma is in hand, but the real stress is just beginning. For parents who landed their first job through a newspaper ad and a firm handshake, today's job market feels like another planet—and their recent grads are drowning in it. Nadine Varca Bilotta, co-founder of Complete Candidate, joins us to decode the modern job search maze. She reveals why 70% of new graduates are still hunting...

When Catherine O'Toole unexpectedly fell in love with motherhood, she didn't just leave her publishing career—she negotiated a salary for staying home. In this candid conversation, she reveals how she transformed from "hard-ass businesswoman" to stay-at-home mom to business partner, all while maintaining her identity and teaching her kids independence. Learn why she demanded paym...

For their annual catchup, Maura and Christie talk about their kids getting married. From fashion-forward choices to navigating guest lists, join them for a joyful ride through the ups and downs of planning the perfect day. Get ready for laughs, love, and a sprinkle of wedding wisdom! #WeddingFun #MotherOfTheBride #MotherOfTheGroom #samesexwedding #weddingetiquette #whattowear Recorded on August 29...

Married couple Susannah Ludwig and Dave Marcus share their journey of successfully blending families with four children. This episode explores practical step-parenting strategies, managing ex-spouses, career pivots from film production and journalism to life coaching and college counseling, and finding balance in a modern blended family. Get actionable advice on discipline boundaries, supporting d...

Bestselling thriller author Andrea Bartz talks about her latest novel "The Last Ferry Out" and her journey from magazine editor to full-time author. Andrea shares the inspiration behind her Mexico-set thriller about expats harboring secrets, discusses her writing process as a "pantser" rather than plotter, and reveals how she built her authority in the publishing world through her popular Substack...

Childhood friends Linda Sawyer and Alison Matz prove that lifelong partnerships can create revolutionary businesses. After meeting at age seven during a second-grade spelling bee, these two women built impressive corporate careers—Linda as chairman of Deutsch advertising agency and Alison in publisher roles at Condé Nast and Meredith—before pivoting to entrepreneurship in their second act. Their f...

Nicola Krause, co-author of the bestselling novel "The Nanny Diaries" shares her journey from early literary success in her twenties to her "conscious uncoupling" from writing partner Emma McLaughlin after nine successful books together. With candid insights about the challenges of early fame, the dynamics of creative partnerships, and balancing writing with motherhood, Krause...

Feeling overwhelmed by the college application maze? Join us as we chat with expert Kerry Roberts about taming the college admissions beast in 2025! We dive into all the juicy details about why schools are bringing back those pesky SAT/ACT requirements and what's changing with the tests themselves (hello, digital ACT!). Kerry shares insider tips on crafting essays that won't make admissions office...

Dive into an inspiring journey of resilience, humor, and motherhood with Caitlin Murray, creator of Big Time Adulting and the viral "Get Yourself a Snack" philosophy. In this powerful episode of The Balance Dilemma, Caitlin shares her remarkable story of navigating motherhood through her son's leukemia diagnosis, transforming challenging experiences into a relatable and hilarious pla...

Fertility and surrogacy expert Lisa Schuman joins TBD for an eye-opening discussion about building families through surrogacy. From understanding New York's recent legalization to navigating six-figure costs and complex psychological screenings, Schuman - who testified before the NY State Judiciary Committee - breaks down what prospective parents need to know. Learn about surrogate matching, s...

Former Estée Lauder Global Group President Lynne Greene shares her remarkable journey from rural Missouri to the C-suite of a multi-billion dollar beauty empire. Learn how Lynne navigated corporate leadership while staying authentic, with lessons learned from teaching middle school and mentors like Estée Lauder. Now retired - or rewired as she calls it - Lynne offers candid insights on mentorship,...

New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis shares her remarkable journey from acting to journalism to writing acclaimed historical fiction. Davis discusses her latest novel 'The Stolen Queen,' set at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and opens up about navigating a Parkinson's diagnosis while at the height of her career. Learn how she researches New York City's iconic buildings, balances her writ...

Sarah Gormley reveals how leaving her prestigious corporate job to care for her dying mother on the family farm became a profound turning point. Her memoir " The Order of Things " explores the unexpected path to finding love, purpose, and true fulfillment when she stopped chasing external validation and started listening to her heart. It’s a compelling story of resilience, grief, love, and the cou...

When Brian Page relocated for his wife's career and founded ModernHusbands.com , he embraced a new role as the family 'gardener,' creating the support system for his wife to bloom in her career. Learn practical strategies for sharing home management, mental load, and financial decisions through household meetings and fair task division. Essential listening for dual-career couples ready to take tur...

Lisa Schuman, LCSW, founding director of the Center for Family Building, shares invaluable insights about modern fertility treatments and family-building options. Drawing from both personal experience and professional expertise, Schuman discusses the complex emotional and physical challenges of infertility, which she notes can be as mentally taxing as receiving a cancer diagnosis. She breaks down...

At age 30 our guest found herself the oldest living member of her family. She had a choice -  make final plans or fight. Gila Pfeffer joins us with her debut memoir,   Nearly Departed: Adventures in Loss, Cancer, and Other Inconveniences . Using her Instagram platform, Gila uses humor and video in her “Feel it on the First” campaign urging women to do self-exams at the beginning of every month. Ep...

Co-Hosts Maura Carlin and Christie Derrico return to their microphones and discuss how they—can do hard things. From dealing with the abrupt and unexpected loss of their host radio station, to producing their podcast episodes in a home studio, to moving forward and upward, these women practice what they preach. Eighty episodes into The Balance Dilemma, and there is always more to come.  Recorded 9...