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In this raw and powerful episode of Married to the Startup, Alicia McKenzie sits down with Amri Kibbler—entrepreneur, community builder, and founder of HeyMama—to talk about the dual challenges of scaling a company and facing a life-threatening illness. After two successful acquisitions and a diagnosis of stage three colorectal cancer, Amri opens up about the role of self-care, the complexities of founder relationships, and how stress silently builds in the body.

Together, they explore what it means to maintain wellness while juggling motherhood, business, and health scares—and why knowing your normal might be the most important self-care tool of all.

You’ll also hear about Amri’s new podcast, The Space Between, a safe space for parents navigating cancer and its emotional fallout.

Follow Amri here.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, cancer, wellness, community, relationships, self-care, stress management, health awareness, women empowerment

Top Takeaways:

• Building HeyMama was just the beginning of Amri’s entrepreneurial journey.
• A stage three cancer diagnosis at the height of her career changed everything.
• Operating at 60% capacity forced her to reevaluate how she shows up in business and life.
• The “stress cup” analogy helps her manage wellness and emotional load.
• Amri’s new podcast supports parents who are walking through cancer with kids in the picture.
• Understanding what “normal” feels like in your body can be a life-saving insight.
• Health maintenance is not optional—it’s foundational

Chapters:
00:00 | Meet Amri Kibbler: HeyMama Origins
01:48 | Entrepreneurship Meets Personal Adversity
05:37 | Cancer Diagnosis & Life at 60% Capacity
09:22 | Knowing Your Body & Health Awareness
11:22 | Friendships and Founder Dynamics
14:01 | Family, Children & Illness: Managing the Fallout
18:36 | Staying Aligned with Passion Through Hardship
20:22 | Selling a Company & Finding Support
21:23 | The Overflowing “Stress Cup” Concept
25:12 | Life After Cancer: What Wellness Looks Like
29:29 | Leading With Purpose Post-Treatment
33:35 | The Launch of The Space Between
38:46 | Why Younger People Are Facing Cancer More Often

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Follow George and Alicia!

https://www.instagram.com/liftlikeamother
https://www.instagram.com/marriedtothestartup
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemckenzie/
www.linkedin.com/in/liftlikeamother
https://www.aliciamckenzie.com/
https://liftlikeamother.com

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In this conversation, George and Alicia discuss various themes related to parenting, youth sports, and societal trends. They explore the dangers of burnout in youth sports, the rising trend of water tastings, changing drinking habits among women, and the impact of economic factors on alcohol consumption. The discussion also touches on the balance between structured summer camps and unstructured play for children, the challenges of navigating youth sports and travel teams, and the complexities of immigration and the path to citizenship.


Chapters

00:00 The Dangers of Burnout in Youth Sports
02:45 The Rise of Water Tastings
05:40 Sober Curiosity and Changing Drinking Habits
08:38 The Impact of Economic Factors on Alcohol Consumption
11:18 Summer Camps vs. Unstructured Play
14:22 Navigating Youth Sports and Travel Teams
25:53 The Challenges of Balancing Sports and Academics
28:39 Immigration and the Path to Citizenship

Keywords

burnout, youth sports, water tastings, sober curiosity, summer camps, travel teams, immigration, citizenship, parenting, wellness

Support the show

Follow George and Alicia!

https://www.instagram.com/liftlikeamother
https://www.instagram.com/marriedtothestartup
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemckenzie/
www.linkedin.com/in/liftlikeamother
https://www.aliciamckenzie.com/
https://liftlikeamother.com

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In this episode, George and Alicia discuss various themes surrounding mental health, vulnerability, and the pressures faced by gifted individuals and men. They explore the impact of labels on performance, the importance of having a support system, and the challenges of balancing work and personal life. The conversation also highlights the significance of understanding one's purpose in business and the experiences of female founders in a male-dominated industry.

Chapters

00:00 The Burden of Labels: Gifted Kids and Fear of Failure
02:53 Men's Mental Health Awareness: Breaking the Silence
05:47 Vulnerability in Men: The Struggle to Open Up
08:29 Building a Personal Board of Directors
11:20 The Impact of Praise: Balancing Expectations and Performance
14:00 The Average Kid vs. The Gifted Kid: Risk-Taking in High Pressure Situations
16:46 The Importance of Self-Talk and Positive Reinforcement
19:43 The Role of Identity in Performance: Smart Kids and Pressure
22:13 Entrepreneurship: The Fear of Failure and Innovation
25:01 The Power of 'Why': Understanding Purpose in Business
27:58 Work-Life Balance: Expectations vs. Reality
30:19 Finding Inspiration: Female Founders and Their Journeys
33:19 Closing Thoughts: The Importance of Connection and Support

Follow George and Alicia!

https://www.instagram.com/liftlikeamother
https://www.instagram.com/marriedtothestartup
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemckenzie/
www.linkedin.com/in/liftlikeamother
https://www.aliciamckenzie.com/
https://liftlikeamother.com