She’s a mom, wife and boss. She is an entrepreneur and family is her number one. Joining the podcast is Jen Roberts. She and husband Andy run a few businesses from martial arts to a moving company. We talk about what it is like to open a business in completely different categories and work together as a husband/wife team. She says Andy is the field guy and she handles the inside, but if you know them…you know that they are in it together.  They jumped without hesitation and learned as they went — without looking back. Working as a team is not hard for the two of them.  Being a mom of three brought challenges and Jen is very open with her struggles and her own anxieties—her philosophy and theme is to say how it is and move forward. 
	Martial arts is a natural for them and they’ve plugged into the community in Auburn to teach in preschools, camps, and special programming. They are teaching martial arts on their own terms with Andy as a black belt and Jen with her experience makes them quite suited. We talk about working with kids and why martial arts matters with a format of love and respect and learning good manners. They teach some self defense moves that are good for any age.
	Exercise has always been a part of Jen’s life as she grew up in the world of dancing but when she turned 21, she got a cancer diagnosis and that turned her to looking seriously as a deep need to take care of herself through a journey to be fit and nutritionally balanced. She planned all the activities she wanted to try after giving birth to her oldest child—and checked them off. Jen felt empowered learning kickboxing and being in a gym. She began to teach dancing and where she is today is exactly where she wants to be—teaching kids to love what she loves. 
 	Jen is an encourager for moms as she teaches because being a good mom is not about perfection or that it is easy and though she doesn’t ever want to lose her patience, it is all about love. So she wants parents to get it that kids in these programs aren’t there to be a professional athlete—take a step back and realize that your kid doesn’t have to be the best. “Set boundaries and ground rules but let your child have fun and learn how to integrate into programs and learn the social cues.”
	We talk about pregnancy and exercise and listening to your body to do what your body allows you to do. This lady models her health behavior for her children and includes them in her workouts where they can come and go in her home gym for kickboxing and weight training. Jen can go back to how she was raised and remember her mother doing similar patterns and she thinks that impact can be important. Jen is intentional in her day to day. She expresses how precious time can be through sharing the story of her sister suffering a stroke. That event makes her even more intentional today. 

Tune in!



Music “STOMP” used by permission of artists Donica Knight Holdman and Jim Huff

Episode 108 -- Jen Roberts -- You Are You Child’s Advocate

Relationship Panel One—It’s Not Just About You

Let’s talk love languages and how relationships run the gamut from romantic relationships to relationships in the work place to students in the classroom and even relationships with art. There are plenty of levels to relationships that involve communication and understanding individual perspectives and needs. Our panel discusses the beliefs that relationships should be mutual, an equal playing field and they should improve the lives of those involved. This one specific word touches everything in life with many aspects and when you understand then you are more equipped to convey your love and appreciation. Relationships are connections.
The guests on this panel discussion have been guests on the podcast before and bring vast life experience to the table—Traci Weafer is a doula creating strong bonds with those families she helps. (Episode 24)  Zoe Kakou is an educator to the core (Episode 54) and Ann Carney (Episode 60) is in the midst of parenting young boys and works in marketing 
The idea of the love languages is that each person wants love in their relationships expressed a particular way and author Gary Chapman coined the phrase 5 Love Languages and dove into expressing how to be equipped to build a foundation to explore. The various categories are— Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. Each individual has at least one language that they prefer above the other… and this is where it gets interesting. Tune in!


The music “STOMP” is used by permission of artist Donica Knight Holdman and  Jim Huff

Episode 79--Relationship Panel Love Languages --Traci Weafer, Zoe Kakou, Ann Carney

The idea to talk to women who are out there living and making a difference is where the Stacked Keys Podcast was born. There are women who make a difference, but never make a wave while paddling through life. Immediately I can think of a dozen or more who impacted me, but I want more. I want to talk to those I don't know and I want to share with an audience that might need the inspiration to find their own beat. 

 

This podcast is to feature women who are impressive in the work world-- or in raising a family -- or who have hobbies that can make us all be encouraged. Want to hear what makes these women passionate and get up in the morning or what they wish they had known earlier in life? Grab your keys and STOMP to your own drum.

Episode 108 -- Jen Roberts -- You Are You Child’s Advocate

Stacked Keys Podcast

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