419 Nicole Crone on Motherhood at 40, a Two-Year Fertility Journey, and Rebuilding Business Boundaries

Quick Summary Nicole Crone — co-founder of My Aligned Purpose and host of a podcast with over 600 episodes — joins Rain or Shine for a candid conversation about becoming a mom at 40 after years of not wanting kids, surviving a two-year fertility journey, and navigating one of the hardest eight-week stretches her business has faced. Along the way, she shares the systems, mindset tools, and rituals that keep her grounded — from "duvet days" to yearly word-of-the-year necklaces. In This Episode - Nicole's go-to rituals for decompressing after an overloaded week - How she uses Claude and Cowork to organize her to-do list into an Eisenhower Matrix - Her lifelong love of learning — human design, astrology, Kabbalah, and yoga - The surprising vision that changed her mind about wanting kids - A two-year fertility journey, including a pregnancy loss, and what it taught her about compassion and timing - What she wishes she'd known about postpartum boundaries as an entrepreneur - Navigating the hardest eight weeks in her business's six-and-a-half-year history - Her personal toolkit for processing hard emotions (solo drives, audiobooks, trusted masterminds) - Her philosophy on what to share publicly versus keep private as a personal brand - Why My Aligned Purpose builds yearly themes, challenges, and rewards into its coaching programs Key Takeaways 1. Name what your nervous system needs, and ask for it. Vocalizing a specific need — like a full "duvet day" with zero plans — is more restorative than defaulting to "productive" rest. 2. Trust doesn't mean things happen on your timeline. Nicole's fertility journey taught her that "the universe delivers when you know what you want and why you want it" — but not necessarily on schedule. 3. Take the time off you think you don't need. Plan for real postpartum (or any major life transition) downtime rather than assuming you'll want to keep working — you likely won't, and you'll regret cutting it short. 4. Process alone before you process out loud. Solo time (a drive, a cry, a walk) before bringing a hard situation to trusted people helps you find your own direction before outside opinions can sway it. 5. Build structure your community can buy into. Yearly themes, challenges, and rewards — borrowed straight from a teaching background — deepen engagement and retention in a business or program. Memorable Quotes - "It's like it does feel really big right now, but it's not going to feel really big if I decide that it's not gonna take any more of my focus, and energy, and attention." - "As Dan Martell says, '80% done by somebody else is 100% awesome.'" Resources Mentioned - Nicole’s Website: myalignedpurpose.com - Podcast: My Aligned Purpose Podcast - Instagram: @myalignedpurpose - Kelsey’s Website: KelseyReidl.com - Kelsey’s Instagram: @KelseyReidl - Time as a Tool — Benjamin Hardy - 10x Is Easier Than 2x — Benjamin Hardy - Who Not How - Human Design, astrology, numerology, Kabbalah (as ongoing personal studies) - Claude + Cowork (for task organization via the Eisenhower Matrix) - Melanie Auld (Vancouver-based jewelry brand, for the annual "word of the year" necklaces) - Dan Martell (quoted concept: "80% done by somebody else is 100% awesome") About the Guest Nicole Crone is the co-founder of My Aligned Purpose, a coaching and educational company she runs alongside business partner Kayla, and host of the My Aligned Purpose Podcast (600+ episodes). A former junior high and high school teacher, Nicole became a mom at 39 to her son, Cruz, after a two-year fertility journey. Her upcoming book, Aligned CEO Method: How to Stop Trading Time for Money and Have Your Most Profitable Year Yet, releases September 18th.