Tova Halpern's whole career was supposed to follow a script. Miami theater kid → musical theater conservatory → NYU → Broadway producer → dream job at a New Jersey regional theater. And then she had her first baby. And eight weeks later, her company told her: "If you don't come back on Monday, you're fired."

She didn't come back. She was fired. And then — slowly, painfully, brilliantly — she built something the system could never have given her: Fresh Theater Arts, a 15-person educational theater company with Broadway partnerships and waitlists 20 kids deep.

In this episode of The Money Hungry Mama Podcast, Tova shares the rebuild — including maternity leave as a business owner, how to plan for sick days with no PTO, the "yes and" mindset that builds resilient businesses, why direct marketing still wins in 2026, and the side hustle that's bringing her the most unexpected joy.

For every mama who's ever been told no. 💛

Pre-Order https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/money-hungry-mama-brittany-plumeri/1148503744

Lauren Boss is the definition of a money hungry mama. After a corporate layoff in 2023, she didn't go back to a 9–5 — she went bigger. In this episode, Lauren tells Brittany how she scoped out everything from Crumbl Cookie franchises to boutique gyms before acquiring an environmental engineering firm, why writing All the Girls I Was Before changed everything, and the real talk on what it takes to take the leap (spoiler: have the egg, mama). We're also getting into journaling, in-person book events vs. online sales, why she keeps her business on LinkedIn and her book on Instagram, and the mom-fail stories that prove none of us have it together.

If you’re building a business and wondering…
“Why am I not making money yet?” — this episode is for you.

Today, I’m sitting down with Liz, a boutique bookkeeping business owner, who breaks down the REAL truth about money in business—no fluff, no confusion, just what you actually need to know to grow.

We talk about:

• The real timeline to becoming profitable (and why year one feels so hard)
• The biggest money leaks in small businesses (this one surprised me)
• What’s actually a tax write-off… and what’s not
• Why bookkeeping is more than just “for taxes”
• How to start paying yourself—even at $1K months
• Building a business as a mom (and even with your husband 👀)

Liz shares how she went from corporate accounting to building businesses, walking away from a million-dollar company, and creating something that truly fits her life as a mom.

This episode is your reminder:
You’re not behind.
You’re building something real.
And it takes time.

If you’ve been feeling discouraged about money in your business… hit play.

📘 The Money Hungry Mama Guide — coming Sept 8, 2026https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/money-hungry-mama-brittany-plumeri/1148503744

Stay hungry Mamas

If you’ve ever looked around your house and thought, “I have so much stuff… I should be making money from this,” this episode is for you.

Today I’m talking with Swati Vauthrin, co-founder of the Recess app — a platform designed to help moms turn everyday items into real income.

We get into:

• How she went from working at Instagram to building her own app
• Why platforms like Facebook Marketplace feel harder (and what’s better)
• The truth about marketing right now (hint: ads and email aren’t enough)
• How moms can start a side hustle without buying inventory
• And the BIG question: what would make someone actually use your idea daily?

This episode is such a reminder that the money is already around you… sometimes it’s literally sitting in your house.

If you’re ready to make money in a way that fits your life as a mom — this is your sign.

Stay hungry. 💰

HOW TO SUPPORT / CHECK OUT RECESS

Download the app: https://therecess.app
Start your storefront + sell what you already have

📘 The Money Hungry Mama Guide — coming Sept 8, 2026https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/money-hungry-mama-brittany-plumeri/1148503744

Why do so many moms feel stressed about money—even when they’re working so hard?

In this episode of Money Hungry Mama, Brittany sits down with Annie to break down the biggest money myths hurting women, how to stop fearing your finances, and what every mom should know about profit, budgeting, and building real wealth.

They discuss:
• Why revenue doesn’t equal profit
• The danger of flashy “10K month” marketing
• How to create a monthly money date
• What financial red flags to watch for
• How moms can feel empowered with money again
• Why your skills can become income

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by money, behind in business, or unsure where to start—this conversation will fire you up.

Stay hungry.

The Money Hungry Mama Guide — coming Sept 8, 2026https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/money-hungry-mama-brittany-plumeri/1148503744

What if the thing you’re already doing as a mom… could actually make you money?

In this episode, I’m sitting down with a mom who turned her postpartum struggles and 3AM research into a full-blown business—and left her corporate job just a few months later.

She didn’t have a perfect plan.
She didn’t wait until she felt “ready.”
She just started… and figured it out along the way.

We talk about:
✨ How she discovered sleep consulting (by accident)
✨ The exact way she got her first clients
✨ Why offering something for FREE can change everything
✨ How she built momentum FAST as a mom of two
✨ The power of networking (online + in real life)

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, waiting for the “right time”… this is your sign.

Because the truth is—your next stream of income might already be in your life.

🎧 Hit play, and let’s get you one step closer to yours.

📘 The Money Hungry Mama Guide — coming Sept 8, 2026https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/money-hungry-mama-brittany-plumeri/1148503744

Instagram: @themoneyhungrymama

Join the Free Fb Community:

https://forms.gle/9V2zaH7A78s9SyXo8

What if the problem isn’t that you’re not working hard enough…
but that you’re working too much?

In this episode of the Money Hungry Mama Podcast, I sit down with entrepreneur and coach Shannon Logan to talk about the reality of building a business while being a mom—and why so many women end up burned out trying to do it all.

After running a brick-and-mortar gym for 10 years (through COVID!), Shannon transitioned into a flexible coaching business and discovered something most of us don’t realize until we’re already exhausted…

👉 More hours does NOT equal more success.

We talk about:

• Why moms burn out faster in business
• The pressure of being the “CEO of everything”
• How to set boundaries without feeling guilty
• Why your business should align with your core values
• Simple ways to create a schedule that actually works for your life

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly “on,” stretched too thin, or questioning if this is sustainable… this episode is your reset.

Because you didn’t leave a 9–5 to build a 24/7.

💛 Stay hungry.

The Money Hungry Mama Guide — coming Sept 8, 2026

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/money-hungry-mama-brittany-plumeri/1148503744

Join the Free Fb Community:

https://forms.gle/9V2zaH7A78s9SyXo8

This one felt like a deep exhale.

I sat down with Zuryna—marketing operations expert, business owner, and mom—and we got REAL about what it actually looks like to juggle a full-time job, a side hustle, and motherhood.

We talked about:
– Starting a business from nothing while working a 9–5
– What “doing it all” really looks like behind the scenes
– Decision fatigue (and why you feel so overwhelmed at night)
– Why alone time isn’t selfish… it’s necessary
– Navigating negativity online and protecting your energy

There were so many moments in this episode where I was like… wait, this is exactly how I feel.

One thing she said that stuck with me:
“Pick where your energy dollars go.”

If you’re a mom who knows you want more—but you’re trying to figure out how to actually make it happen—this episode is for you.

We’re not doing perfect here… we’re doing aligned, intentional, and one step at a time.

—

Follow Zuryna - www.instagram.com/livemoreagency

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🎧 New episodes every week