A Journal Collection

Press Pause Podcast Conversations

Thoughtful conversations from Time to Press Pause, transformed into in-depth articles designed to help readers navigate career transitions, leadership decisions, entrepreneurship, personal growth, and life's pivotal moments.

A woman founder reviewing business systems and processes at a planning board.
Episode 16·Adam Hamadache·12 min read

How to Stop Firefighting in Your Business and Build Systems That Scale

Constant crises aren't the cost of doing business — they're a sign you've outgrown the way you run it. How one founder traded firefighting for systems that scale, and why he now schedules pauses on purpose.

April 29, 2025
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Two women leaders collaborating as they delegate ownership of a project.
Episode 15·Thomas Cox·11 min read

When to Hire and Delegate to Grow Your Business

A former college football coach turned founder shares the discipline that took him from owner-operator bottleneck to a business — and a life — that runs without him in every seat.

April 22, 2025
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A runner pausing on an empty track at sunrise, deciding what to do next.
Episode 14·Nicole Donnelly·11 min read

What to Do When What Used to Work Stops Working

When the playbook that worked for years suddenly fails, grinding harder isn't the answer. Here's how to turn a forced pause into a pivot—and get comfortable with the discomfort of growth.

April 15, 2025
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A laptop closed on a desk at the end of the day with a notebook beside it.
Episode 13·Shane Barker·10 min read

How to Avoid Burnout as an Entrepreneur (You Don't Have to Work 18-Hour Days)

A founder who nearly worked himself into a heart attack shares how he built a healthier business with hard stops, delegation, and protected energy—proof you don't need 18-hour days.

April 8, 2025
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Two mature women sharing a supportive conversation about menopause and change.
Episode 12·Cory Dunham·10 min read

How to Support Your Wife Through Perimenopause and Menopause (Without Trying to Fix Everything)

When your wife changes during perimenopause or menopause, the most loving move isn't to fix it—it's to understand it. A partner's guide to patience, presence, and what you can actually control.

April 1, 2025
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Two women leaders having an honest conversation about accountability and learning.
Episode 11·Jon Sheldon·10 min read

How to Take Radical Accountability for Your Mistakes (Without Spiraling Into Blame)

Real accountability isn't self-punishment—it's the fastest route to learning. Here's how to own your role in a setback, sidestep the blame trap, and make better decisions.

March 25, 2025
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A woman founder reflecting inside the workshop and business she built.
Episode 10·Sean O'Rourke·5 min read

How to Know When It's Time to Leave a Business You Built

Sean O'Rourke spent twelve years running an IT firm he co-founded. The tell that it was time to leave wasn't in the numbers — it was in his alarm clock.

March 18, 2025
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A senior woman executive listening carefully during a high-pressure leadership decision.
Episode 9·Susan L. Combs·5 min read

How to Make a High-Pressure Decision With Integrity

When a donor demanded $14,000 back and threatened a lawyer, Susan L. Combs pressed pause — and chose the path she and her board could sleep with.

March 11, 2025
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A quiet forest trail in soft morning light, a place for silent reflection.
Episode 8·Judy K. Herman·5 min read

What to Do When You Know Something Needs to Change but You're Not Sure What

Judy K. Herman saved for a year to spend four days in silence — and came back with the clarity that rearranged her life.

March 4, 2025
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Empty movie theatre seats in shadow, an industry on pause.
Episode 7·Moss Maria·5 min read

How to Reinvent Your Career When Your Industry Collapses

After Hollywood's strikes and the LA fires, Moss Maria stopped chasing the next gig — and spent a year teaching himself to fix what was broken in his field.

February 25, 2025
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A woman professional calmly organizing colored planning cards to manage her energy at work.
Episode 6·Jennica Norris·5 min read

How Neurodivergent Professionals Stay Calm and Manage Overwhelm at Work

Jennica Norris uses the stoplight method to manage energy, not just time — and to make overwhelm a clear, shareable signal you can act on early.

February 18, 2025
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An open notebook and pen on a calm desk, a deliberate pause to think.
Episode 5·Sophie Devonshire·5 min read

Why Slowing Down Helps You Get More Done (and How to Take a Strategic Pause)

Sophie Devonshire calls herself an impatient accelerator — and argues the leaders who move fastest are the ones who pause on purpose.

February 11, 2025
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A working mother sharing a warm moment with her daughter at home.
Episode 4·Stephanie Vaughan·12 min read

How to Prioritize Family Without Giving Up Your Career

Stephanie Vaughan left corporate when her son was born — and built a bigger career on her own terms. The lesson: harmony, not balance, and values before expectations.

February 4, 2025
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A woman founder planning the first steps of her own business in a creative studio.
Episode 3·Barbara Lange·11 min read

How to Know When You're Ready to Start Your Own Business (You Won't Have It All Figured Out)

After twelve years leading a nonprofit through the pandemic, Barbara Lange left to launch her own sustainability consultancy. Readiness, she says, doesn't require certainty.

January 28, 2025
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A woman at a sunlit desk reviewing notes, mid-career pivot.
Episode 2·Laura Lampa·10 min read

How to Start a Business After Being Laid Off  Without Starting Over

Laura Lampa was a scientist turned communicator when a layoff pushed her to launch LML StoryLab. Here's how she used the disruption to build something of her own.

January 21, 2025
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A woman executive pausing by a window as she considers a career transition.
Episode 1·Ed Clementi·10 min read

How to Know When It's Time to Leave a Secure Career (and Bet on Yourself)

Ed Clementi spent two decades climbing from security guard to Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, then walked away in 2023 to bet on himself.

January 14, 2025
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