Cake For Dinner

Gina Zapanta joins Cake for Dinner to talk about empowerment, motherhood, survival, and the moment women stop waiting for permission to become who they were always meant to be.
Gina is an attorney, entrepreneur, founder of Empowered With Gina, and a woman who has built a community around helping women reclaim their agency, trust their intuition, and break free from cultural and societal programming. What began as small virtual meetups during COVID eventually grew into a platform where women could find community, resources, and the reminder that permission was never something they had to earn — it was already within them.
Gina also opens up about one of the most terrifying chapters of her life: being diagnosed with stage one cervical cancer while seven months pregnant. She shares the fear, the survival instinct, the fight to protect her daughter, and how that experience shaped the way she now views resilience, motherhood, and purpose.
This episode is about breaking the mold, rewriting the language we use about ourselves, choosing a powerful mindset, and realizing that life does not end at 40 or 50 — for many women, that’s when launch day begins.
00:00 Introduction00:04 What Empowered With Gina Really Means04:08 Growing Up Feeling “Othered”06:10 Diagnosed With Cancer While Pregnant07:27 “Who’s Gonna Raise My Daughters?”08:21 PTSD, Anxiety & Finding Opportunity in Pain10:13 Why Gina Helps Women Rise12:13 The Power of Language14:37 Powerful Mindset vs. Powerless Mindset16:20 Intuition, Jealousy & Breaking Free21:21 Letting Go of Ego & People-Pleasing22:00 Motherhood Without Martyrdom27:50 Where to Find Gina
Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Gina: https://www.instagram.com/ginazapanta_/ 

Jennie Garth joins Cake For Dinner for an honest and deeply vulnerable conversation about fame, motherhood, midlife, self-love, and what it really means to choose yourself.
Best known for her iconic role on Beverly Hills, 90210, Jennie opens up about what it was like becoming famous at a young age, how the show changed her life, and what it cost her along the way. But this conversation goes far beyond Hollywood.
Jennie shares the heart behind her book I Choose Me, reflecting on the seasons where she lost sight of herself, struggled through depression, navigated divorce, raised her daughters, examined her relationship with alcohol, and learned how to rebuild from the inside out.
This episode is about the woman behind the fame — the mother, the survivor, the seeker, and the woman who finally learned to say: I choose me.
Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 Follow Jennie: https://www.instagram.com/jenniegarth/ 
00:00 Introduction01:00 Welcome Jennie Garth01:30 Landing Beverly Hills, 9021002:43 How 90210 Became a Cultural Phenomenon04:31 The Legacy of 9021006:33 The 90210 Cast Bond Today08:03 What Fame Gave Her and Cost Her09:00 The Wake-Up Call Behind I Choose Me12:00 Why Women Struggle to Choose Themselves14:00 Menopause, Midlife & Women’s Health16:30 Breaking Perfection Culture18:30 Why She Had to Tell the Truth21:18 Losing Sight of Herself22:32 Rediscovering Joy and Self-Care24:39 Wellness Trends, Parenting & Grace27:18 “I Was So Depressed”27:59 Her Daughters Saw Her Rise31:54 Divorce, Love & Starting Over34:16 Learning to Love Herself36:15 Sobriety and Showing Up Fully41:17 Radical Acceptance and Forgiveness44:55 What Her Daughters Taught Her49:18 Finding Yourself Again51:53 Writing I Choose Me53:19 Healing, Strength & Letting Go

In this episode of Cake for Dinner, Keesha sits down with Erin Morrison, the voice behind The Conscious Mom and author of Three Minutes for Mom, for a raw and honest conversation about motherhood, conscious parenting, emotional regulation, and the pressure moms feel to get everything right.
Erin shares why parenting is less about controlling your child and more about understanding what is happening inside of you. Together, they talk about mom guilt, gentle parenting, the labels we put on our kids, why parents take behavior personally, and how apologizing to your children can actually build deeper trust and connection.
This conversation is for every mom who has ever yelled, overreacted, questioned herself, or felt like she was failing — only to realize that motherhood is not about perfection. It is about awareness, repair, self-trust, and learning how to show up again.
If you are navigating conscious parenting, gentle parenting, motherhood, tweens, teens, big emotions, or your own healing journey as a mom, this episode will hit home.
 
00:00 — Introduction
01:04 — Welcome Erin Morrison
01:44 — Why Erin Wrote Three Minutes for Mom
03:05 — The Missing Link in Parenting
04:18 — The Baggage We Bring Into Motherhood
06:19 — How Labels Shape Our Kids
10:40 — Letting Kids Find Their Own Path
13:22 — Are Parents Living Through Their Children?
15:12 — Learning to Pause Before Reacting
18:21 — Why Apologizing to Your Kids Matters
21:55 — Conscious Parenting vs. Gentle Parenting
24:07 — Phones, Sleepovers & Modern Parenting Boundaries
28:21 — It’s Never Too Late to Start Over
31:05 — Trusting Your Gut as a Mom
34:03 — How to Become a More Conscious Parent
37:29 — What Erin Had to Unlearn
43:19 — Breaking Generational Parenting Patterns
45:10 — The Truth About Early Motherhood
52:51 — Where to Find Erin Morrison
53:21 — Closing Thoughts
 
Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/
Get Erins book: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=3+minutes+for+mom&adgrpid=189369634271&hvadid=779579003977&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9012036&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=11163684166959021073--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11163684166959021073&hvtargid=kwd-2393975566028&hydadcr=22536_13730665_8233&mcid=2933b18f25b336578aff6b5ca96e801b&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_3ik3m4oy7r_e

Today Lisa McCarty joins the conversation to talk about the stories women often carry in silence — grief, miscarriage, infertility, caregiving, mental health, motherhood, and the complicated realities of healing.
Lisa is a journalist, writer, and grief educator whose work has been featured in major publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, and more. Through her writing, she brings honesty and clarity to topics that many people struggle to talk about openly.
In this conversation, Lisa shares how losing her father while becoming a mother shaped her work, why writing became a way to process grief, and how sharing her personal story helped other people feel less alone. She also opens up about her experience with infertility, four miscarriages in one year, the diagnosis that changed everything, and the emotional toll that continues even after a successful pregnancy.
This episode is a deeply honest conversation about women’s health, loss, resilience, advocacy, and the importance of creating safe spaces where women can tell the truth about what they are going through.
Whether you have experienced grief, pregnancy loss, infertility, caregiving, anxiety, or simply a hard season of life, this conversation is a reminder that you are not alone — and that your story matters.
Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/Follow Lisa: https://www.instagram.com/lbmccarty717 
00:00 — Introduction00:48 — Why Lisa Started Writing About Grief01:19 — Losing Her Father While Becoming a Mother03:27 — How Sharing Grief Helped Her Feel Less Alone04:31 — A Complex Father-Daughter Relationship06:10 — Writing Personal Essays vs. Reported Stories08:26 — Four Miscarriages in One Year09:50 — The Devastating Reality of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss11:39 — The Diagnosis That Changed Everything14:42 — Finally Getting Answers and Trying Again15:14 — The Mental Health Toll of Infertility16:10 — Being Reminded of Loss at Every Doctor’s Visit17:52 — Why Sharing Women’s Health Stories Matters18:24 — Helping Other Women Advocate for Themselves20:27 — Why Women Need Better Access to Information21:22 — The Lack of Emotional Support During IVF23:38 — Social Media, Misinformation & Women’s Health26:09 — Why Reliable Medical Information Matters30:15 — Why We Avoid Talking About Loss and Mental Health31:31 — Breaking the Stigma Around Women’s Emotions32:37 — Caregiving, Boundaries & Normalizing Hard Conversations33:58 — The Piece That Changed Lisa the Most35:27 — Anxiety, Motherhood & Learning Boundaries37:14 — Advice for Anyone in a Hard Season39:16 — Where to Find Lisa McCarty39:38 — Closing Thoughts

In this powerful episode of Cake for Dinner, Greg Schiller joins the podcast for an urgent and eye-opening conversation every parent needs to hear.
Greg is a former assistant U.S. attorney who spent 20 years prosecuting online predators, internet crimes, and crimes against children. He has testified before Congress on online exploitation and now serves as the CEO of Child Rescue Coalition, an organization helping law enforcement identify and stop predators around the world.
This conversation dives into what parents are getting wrong when it comes to kids and technology, why smartphones are not just “phones,” how predators target children online, and why communication at home is the most important safety tool parents have.
Greg breaks down the realities of online exploitation, the dangers hidden inside apps, games, and social platforms, and the simple non-negotiables parents can put in place to better protect their children. From Snapchat and Instagram to hidden apps, screen monitoring, privacy myths, and the importance of starting conversations early, this episode is a must-listen for moms, dads, and anyone raising kids in the digital age.
This is not about fear. It is about awareness, communication, and giving parents the tools to protect their children before something happens.
Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/Read More About Gregs Work: https://childrescuecoalition.org/  
00:00 — Introduction00:48 — What parents are getting wrong about kids and technology02:27 — Why online predators are everywhere children are04:49 — If your child has a device, they can access everything06:02 — Why parents need to talk about sex and online safety earlier08:38 — The best parental control is communication10:29 — Why devices should not charge in kids’ bedrooms13:36 — When should parents give their child a phone?14:52 — “Pause before you post” and teaching kids digital awareness16:17 — How predators pretend to be someone they are not17:52 — The reality of online offenders and how they target kids21:44 — Why parents need better language to explain online danger23:50 — The shocking number of online child exploitation reports26:50 — How Child Rescue Coalition helps law enforcement catch predators28:58 — How Greg’s work affects him as a father33:29 — Three non-negotiables for kids and devices34:56 — Why kids should never communicate with strangers online35:28 — The truth about Snapchat and disappearing messages38:54 — Why kids feel safe online when they are not39:11 — Rapid fire: Snapchat, Instagram, privacy, apps, and monitoring43:55 — The one sentence every kid should hear before getting a phone44:49 — Greg’s biggest takeaway for parents46:46 — Where to learn more about Child Rescue Coalition

Jamie Kolnick, founder of Jam With Jamie, shares the powerful story behind the music, the business, and the joy she brings to families across the country.
What started as a small children’s music party business has grown into a multi-city brand with dozens of performers, classes, events, school programs, and the annual Little Jam Fest. But behind Jamie’s success is a much deeper story of resilience. After losing her brother, father, and mother, Jamie found herself building something joyful during one of the hardest seasons of her life.
Jamie opens up about grief, imposter syndrome, motherhood, music, entrepreneurship, vocal challenges, and what it really means to create joy intentionally — even when life doesn’t go as planned.
This conversation is about more than music. It’s about turning pain into purpose, finding light after loss, and choosing joy again and again.
Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/ Follow Jamie: https://www.instagram.com/jamwithjamie/  
00:00 — Introduction00:30 — How Jam With Jamie Began05:35 — Jamie’s Mom Names the Business07:27 — From First Party to Word of Mouth08:12 — Loss, Grief, and Perspective09:47 — Growing Jam With Jamie Into 9 Cities10:34 — The Creation of Little Jam Fest12:02 — Music, Family, and Jamie’s Father20:32 — How Music Connects With Kids23:05 — Showing Up With Joy During Hard Seasons25:57 — Work, Grief, Burnout, and Healing30:06 — Life Pivots and Vocal Challenges32:28 — Is Joy Found or Created?35:33 — Finding Joy in a Hard Season37:50 — Where to Find Jam With Jamie and Little Jam Fest

Today we sit down with Alexia Ferrari, known online as The Millionaire Homemaker, to talk about motherhood, ambition, money, identity, and what it really means to build success on your own terms.
Alexia shares how she went from climbing the corporate ladder in the aerospace and systems engineering world to building a thriving online brand and business from home. After becoming a mother, she found herself questioning how she could keep up the pace of corporate life while also being present for her family. That tension eventually opened the door to a new vision: helping women create wealth from home without having to choose between motherhood and their dreams.
Throughout the conversation, Alexia opens up about the messy middle of entrepreneurship, building a brand with authenticity, learning how to create viral content, using AI and automation, and why women today are craving something deeper than financial freedom alone.
This conversation is for the woman who feels pulled between who she is, who she wants to become, and the life she is trying to build.
Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/Follow Alexia: https://www.instagram.com/themillionairehomemaker/ 
00:00 — Introduction00:41 — Becoming The Millionaire Homemaker01:52 — Leaving Corporate Life Behind04:51 — Discovering the Power of Working From Home06:22 — Helping Women Build Wealth From Home08:29 — Motherhood, Guilt, and Giving Back to Yourself10:37 — The Messy Middle of Building a Business13:19 — Turning Your Gifts Into a Brand16:32 — When a Brand Becomes a Movement20:10 — Why Authenticity Wins Online21:57 — Building a Business While Raising a Family24:33 — Funnels, Automation, and Passive Income29:10 — Why You Have to Fully Commit32:48 — Why You Don’t Need a Huge Following to Succeed34:46 — Handling Negative Comments Online36:35 — Redefining Success on Your Own Terms39:53 — The Truth About Overnight Success43:16 — Creating Content That Feels Real45:50 — Where to Find Alexia Ferrari

In this episode, I sat down with Laura Rubin, writer, speaker, founder of AllSwell Creative, and author of The Big Unlock, for a powerful conversation about journaling, anxiety, fear, gratitude, and how writing can help us get unstuck.Laura breaks down why journaling is so much more than simply writing down your feelings. Through her approach to mindful writing, she explains how intentional prompts can help us recognize patterns, quiet our critical voice, shift our mood, and reconnect with what actually matters.Together, we explore why anxiety is often future-focused imagination, how positive memories can help calm the body, why gratitude works best when connected to the five senses, and how small practices like the “4x4” journaling method and “dopamine push-ups” can create real change in everyday life.This conversation is for anyone who feels stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or curious about how writing can become a simple but powerful tool for mental and emotional well-being.
Learn more about Laura: https://allswellcreative.com/ Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/
Grab a copy of Laura's book: https://allswellcreative.com/pages/the-big-unlock 
00:00 — Introduction00:58 — Welcome Laura Rubin to Cake for Dinner01:40 — Why so many people feel stuck02:48 — What being “stuck” looks like in real life04:26 — The fear underneath most blocks05:30 — Mindful writing vs. traditional journaling06:28 — Journaling as a tool for embodiment and mood shifts07:17 — The serotonin bath: using positive memories to calm anxiety09:04 — Why nature is so powerful for the mind10:21 — Awe, water, and reconnecting with something bigger13:10 — Why journaling has a PR problem14:31 — The stories and patterns that shape our lives17:04 — Gratitude as a daily practice19:19 — Using the five senses to make gratitude more powerful20:13 — Recognizing your “big rocks” and priorities22:15 — Writing things down to see your patterns clearly23:20 — Why longhand journaling is so effective24:52 — Rock stars need roadies: asking for support27:01 — Externalizing thoughts instead of letting them loop30:44 — The 4x4 journaling method33:20 — Perfectionism and the critical voice35:05 — Giving anxiety a seat, but not control37:06 — Self-compassion and evolutionary fear38:43 — Dopamine push-ups and healthy mood shifts40:56 — Where to find Laura Rubin and The Big Unlock42:16 — Closing thoughts and Cake for Dinner outro

Today I sit down with Ivey Leidy—integrative health coach and founder of Living With Ivey—to break down the truth behind modern wellness.
From building a multi-location wellness brand to navigating motherhood, eating disorder recovery, and the pressure of social media perfection, Ivey shares what actually matters when it comes to health.
We dive deep into:The connection between gut health and hormonesWhy most “healthy” products aren’t what they claimThe hidden dangers of fragrance, plastics, and protein powdersHealing your relationship with food without extremesBuilding a business rooted in authenticity, not trends
This episode is packed with actionable takeaways for women looking to feel better, live cleaner, and think differently about health.
Learn More About Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/Learn More About Ivey: https://livingwithivey.com/
00:00 – Introduction00:45 – Meet Ivey Leidy (Living With Ivey Founder)01:23 – Why Authenticity Builds a Loyal Audience02:03 – Imposter Syndrome & Starting on Social Media03:00 – Making Wellness Simple & Relatable03:25 – How Motherhood Sparked Her Health Journey04:08 – Starting During COVID & Building Momentum05:02 – Turning Content Into a Physical Retail Brand06:03 – Why She Refused to “Pick a Niche”07:07 – Gut Health & Hormones Explained08:14 – Healing Through Food (Without Extremes)08:36 – Balancing Healthy Eating & Real Life10:02 – Eating Disorders & Social Media Pressure11:20 – Why Women Need to Talk About Food Struggles13:18 – Body Image, Generational Shifts & Identity14:41 – Beyond Beauty: Purpose, Legacy & Impact16:20 – Creating Her Own Product Line18:12 – Rapid Fire Wellness Tips18:12 – Best Skincare Ingredient (Vitamin C)19:14 – Hair Health & Shower Filters20:02 – Toxic Products to Avoid Immediately21:05 – Why Fragrance Is a Hidden Danger21:58 – Daily Non-Negotiable Wellness Habit22:42 – Minerals, Detox & Energy Explained23:50 – Easy Healthy Swap (Plastic → Glass)24:40 – “Healthy” Products That Are Misleading25:22 – Protein Powders & Food Myths26:16 – Real Food vs Diet Trends27:31 – Motherhood, Business & Time Management28:32 – The Truth About “Balance”29:45 – Life Pivots & Letting Go of Failure31:08 – Confidence, Aging & Clarity33:30 – Where to Find Ivey

This episode marks the FIRST installment of our Cake for Dinner: Dad Edition — a brand new series we are incredibly excited to roll out this summer, featuring powerful conversations with fathers about parenting, identity, and growth.
 
Tyler Baltierra, best known from MTV’s Teen Mom, joins Cake for Dinner for a raw and powerful conversation about trauma, adoption, and what it really means to break generational cycles.
In this episode, Tyler opens up about growing up in a chaotic environment shaped by addiction, navigating becoming a teen father, and the life-altering decision to place his daughter for adoption. He shares the emotional reality behind that choice, the long-term impact it carries, and how it continues to shape his identity as a husband and father today.
 
This conversation goes far beyond what was shown on MTV—diving into the psychology of trauma, the truth about adoption, and the intentional work required to raise children differently than how you were raised.
Tyler also speaks on healing, boundaries, and why curiosity is one of the most powerful tools for personal growth.
 
Follow Tyler: https://www.instagram.com/tylerbaltierramtv/
Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/
 
00:00 – Childhood Trauma & Growing Up Alone
02:20 – Life Before Teen Mom (MTV)
04:10 – Parenting Differently & Breaking the Cycle
07:30 – Trauma, Maturity & Identity
10:20 – Raising Kids in a Different Environment
13:59 – The Adoption Decision (Survival vs Love)
16:20 – Acceptance vs Peace
20:50 – Advice for Kids in Tough Homes
24:20 – Looking Back: Growth & Perspective
26:45 – How MTV Changed Everything
30:30 – The Truth About Adoption
36:30 – Relationship With Carly Today
39:30 – Explaining Adoption to His Kids
45:20 – Growing Up on TV (The Reality)
47:50 – Talking to Kids About Sex
53:10 – Intentional Parenting