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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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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

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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

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In this episode, Alicia and George discuss the recent acquisition of Hailey Bieber's beauty brand, Road, by Elf Beauty for $1 billion. They explore the implications of celebrity influence in business, the operational roles behind celebrity brands, and the challenges of replicating such success.

The conversation also delves into the concept of self-made success, the role of privilege, and the importance of strategic capital raising in entrepreneurship. In this conversation, Alicia McKenzie and George discuss the challenges and realities of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of timing, execution, and financial stability.

They explore the concept of agentic AI, its implications for the future, and the generational shifts in how technology is interacted with. The discussion also touches on the rapid evolution of AI, its potential benefits, and the risks it poses to society.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Episode
00:50 The Acquisition of Road by Elf Beauty
02:19 The Impact of Celebrity Influence in Business
03:43 Operational Roles in Celebrity Brands
05:50 Challenges of Replicating Celebrity Success
08:07 The Myth of Self-Made Success
10:38 Defining Self-Made Success
12:00 The Role of Privilege in Success
15:25 The Importance of Strategic Capital Raising
17:53 Raising and Deploying Capital Effectively
24:32 Navigating Entrepreneurship and Financial Stability
25:44 The Role of Timing and Luck in Business
27:34 Execution Over Ideas: The Key to Success
29:07 Understanding Agentic AI and Its Implications
31:55 The Future of AI: Opportunities and Concerns
35:50 Generational Shifts in Technology Interaction
39:33 The Rapid Evolution of AI and Its Impact
43:36 The Dual Nature of AI: Benefits and Risks

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In this episode, Alicia and George McKenzie explore the implications of AI on creativity, parenting, and the importance of empathy. They discuss the challenges of parenting in a judgmental society, the lessons learned from sports, and the significance of building authentic relationships in business. The conversation also touches on the future of AI and its potential to assist in various fields while emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human interaction.

Chapters

00:00 The Rise of AI-Generated Content
09:58 The Impact of AI on Creativity and Original Thought
19:56 Navigating Parenting and Empathy
29:46 The Role of Sports in Life Lessons
36:22 Building Authentic Relationships in Business

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In this episode, Alicia and George discuss their experiences with family legacy, parenting challenges, and the impact of technology on their children's lives. They explore the importance of fostering family bonds and values, the role of philanthropy in their lives, and the struggles of balancing work and personal life amidst the pressures of entrepreneurship. The conversation highlights their candid reflections on parenting, technology addiction, and the pursuit of a meaningful legacy for their children.

Chapters

00:00 Family Legacy and Bonds
09:53 Navigating Technology and Parenting
19:59 Philanthropy and Family Values
29:37 Burnout and Work-Life Balance

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In this episode, Alicia and George discuss the realities of navigating the startup landscape, emphasizing the importance of understanding market dynamics and the long-term commitment required for success. They explore the rise of fractional leadership as a viable option for startups seeking expertise without the full-time commitment, and the ethical implications of email marketing in the entrepreneurial space.

The conversation highlights the misleading nature of clickbait headlines and the toxic culture surrounding side hustles, ultimately advocating for a more grounded approach to entrepreneurship. In this conversation, the speakers explore the importance of having a clear business vision and the necessity of aligning expectations within teams and families.

They discuss the dynamics of energy management in both parenting and leadership roles, emphasizing the need for proactive strategies to regulate energy and maintain morale. The conversation also touches on the significance of harnessing momentum for productive initiatives and the timing of launches to maximize engagement and effectiveness.

Chapters

00:00 Navigating the Startup Landscape
09:54 The Reality of Startup Success
12:17 Exploring Fractional Leadership
18:56 Strategizing with Experts
19:05 Defining Your Business Vision
21:14 Expectation Management in Business and Life
23:30 Energy Dynamics in Parenting and Leadership
25:41 Regulating Energy: Strategies for Success
32:51 Harnessing Momentum for Productive Initiatives

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In this episode of 'Married to the Startup', Alicia McKenzie and George discuss the intersection of technology and personal life, the success of their recent luncheon event, and the complex relationship between self-care and ambition. They explore how ambition can evolve over time, the challenges of maintaining a work-life balance, and the societal pressures to conform to an 'average' lifestyle.

The conversation emphasizes the importance of personal growth and the journey to success, highlighting that achieving one's goals often involves navigating through difficulties and making sacrifices. In this conversation, George and Alicia discuss various themes related to business operations, leadership, and the impact of AI on data trustworthiness.

They reflect on early work experiences that shaped their understanding of business, the importance of being involved in all aspects of a company, and the challenges of celebrating success in larger organizations. The discussion also delves into the complexities of navigating information in the age of AI, the necessity of quality assurance, and strategies for business expansion, including identifying target markets and building scalable models.

They emphasize the value of mentorship and learning from successful business models.

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