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Ep. 26 – Donna Kendrick: Widow, Wisdom and Wealth
45:35|On this week’s episode of the Step Stories Podcast, Host Robin Breuner introduces financial advisor Donna Kendrick, host of Widow Wisdom and Wealth and author of A Guide to Widowhood and The Life Stages Financial Guides. Donna recounts losing her first husband in 2013 while raising three kids after years abroad in Rome, leaving the workforce, and relying on prior planning such as estate documents and life insurance. She explains why many widows switch financial advisors and how her experience led her to build a practice serving widows and families in transition, including divorce. Donna discusses blending her family after remarrying in 2022, combining six children through the pandemic and later navigating his ex-wife’s illness. She shares practical blended-family financial steps: inventory assets and debts, clarify “mine/yours/ours,” review credit reports and beneficiaries, use prenups, update estate documents, address the family home, and consider neutral executors to help keep peace. And thank you for supporting our sponsors: What’s Poppin’ PennyWebsite: https://whatspoppinpenny.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4BlpnEqNXgMVlBZrNK4jIs Donna KendrickGet your financial house in order in just 6 weeks. Each week, Donna will send you an email with video instruction on a simple task you can complete – those things you’ve been putting off but know are important. Access it here: https://donnajeankendrick.com/6-week-challenge/ Email: support@donnajeankendrick.comWebsite: donnajeankendrick.com Facebook: fb@DonnaJeanKendrickInstagram: IG@donnajeankendrickTikTok: Donna Jean KendrickYoutube: @donnajeankendrickBooks: A Guide for Widowhood A Guide for BlendedFamiiliesThe Divorce Money Map Podcasts: Widow & Wisdom Robin Breuner Email: robinbreuner@gmail.comWebsite: www.robinbreuner.comInstagram: stepstoriespodcastIGFacebook: stepstoriespodcastFBLinkedin: RobinBreunerLinkINPodcast: StepStories PodcastThreads: @robinbreunerYouTube: StepStories Podcast YouTubeTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@stepstoriespodcast/video/7569378260706938126
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Ep. 25 – Carly Schwartz: I’ll Try Anything Twice
49:46|On this week’s episode of the Step Stories Podcast, host Robin Breuner interviews author and journalist Carly Schwartz about her memoir “I’ll Try Anything Twice: Misadventures of a Self-Medicated Life,” her journalism career (Northwestern Medill, editor-in-chief of the San Francisco Examiner, founding HuffPost San Francisco), and her current storytelling work in climate tech, robotics, and responsible AI. Carly describes growing up in Connecticut after leaving San Francisco as a baby, intense emotions and overachievement, and a family history of depression, suicide, and bipolar disorder. She discusses her parents’ divorce during her freshman year of college, her own escalating depression, substance abuse, study abroad struggles, suicide attempt, treatment, and returning to Northwestern to graduate. Carly explains her father’s later marriage to her stepmother and the family’s adjustment from distance to intentional connection, emphasizing sibling bonds, recovery, chosen family, and community. And thank you for supporting our sponsors: What’s Poppin’ PennyWebsite: https://whatspoppinpenny.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4BlpnEqNXgMVlBZrNK4jIs Carly Schwartz:Email: carlyschwartz@gmail.comWebsite: carly.inkInstagram: @carlicitaLinkedIn: in/carlicita Books: I'll Try Anything Twice Robin Breuner Email: robinbreuner@gmail.comWebsite: www.robinbreuner.comInstagram: stepstoriespodcastIGFacebook: stepstoriespodcastFBLinkedin: RobinBreunerLinkINPodcast: StepStories PodcastThreads: @robinbreunerYouTube: StepStories Podcast YouTubeTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@stepstoriespodcast/video/7569378260706938126Ep. 24 – Genevieve Kingston: Did I Ever Tell You?
53:06|Step Stories Podcast host Robin Breuner welcomes author, actor, and playwright Genevieve Kingston this week to discuss her memoir Did I Ever Tell You?, inspired by her Modern Love column and named a best memoir of 2024 by Oprah Daily. Kingston shares how her mother, diagnosed with cancer when Genevieve was three and gone by nearly twelve, left letters and gifts for birthdays and milestones through age 30—creating an ongoing conversation that shaped Kingston’s identity and grief. They explore growing up with a terminally ill parent, the vital role of friends and extended family, and the challenges that followed her father’s quick remarriage: stepmother-stepdaughter conflict, feeling unable to mention her late mother, and a blended family dynamic complicated by a stepsibling the same age from her school. Kingston reflects on her brother as an anchor, her father’s suicide during her college years, the importance of making a missing parent “mentionable,” and the lifelong impact of therapy, while also sharing current theater projects and hopes for a second book Genevieve Kingston:Email: kingston.gwen@gmail.com Website: http://genevievekingston.com/ Instagram: @genevieve__kingston. Books:https://bookshop.org/p/books/did-i-ever-tell-you-a-memoir-genevieve-kingston/20239880?ean=9781668006290 Robin Breuner Email: robinbreuner@gmail.comWebsite: www.robinbreuner.comInstagram: stepstoriespodcastIGFacebook: stepstoriespodcastFBLinkedin: RobinBreunerLinkINPodcast: StepStories PodcastThreads: @robinbreunerYouTube: StepStories Podcast YouTubeTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@stepstoriespodcast/video/7569378260706938126Ep. 23 - Barbara Sabido: How To Blend An Unconventional Family
43:33|On this week’s episode of the Step Stories podcast, host Robin Breuner introduces Barbara Sabido, a married mother of four who fostered 17 children over 17 years, mainly newborns to age six, describing how she started after meeting a veteran foster mom, how her sons were interviewed during licensing, and how placements ranged from 24 hours to a year. Barbara shares the emotional challenge of saying goodbye, her retired police-officer husband’s role and boundaries, and lessons about avoiding judgment of biological families while keeping children’s needs first, including limited ongoing contact depending on reunified or adoptive families’ wishes. She also discusses serving as executive director of Marin Foster Care and the heavy caseloads social workers face. Barbara explains founding the nonprofit Apparent Love to provide “a parent’s love” and chosen family for LGBTQ+ adults through dinners, gatherings, and outings, urging openness to broader definitions of family. Barbara Sabido:Website: apParent LoveFacebook: @bsabidoLinkedin : Barbara Sabido Robin Breuner Email: robinbreuner@gmail.comWebsite: www.robinbreuner.comInstagram: stepstoriespodcastIGFacebook: stepstoriespodcastFBLinkedin: RobinBreunerLinkINPodcast: StepStories PodcastThreads: @robinbreunerYouTube: StepStories Podcast YouTubeTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@stepstoriespodcast/video/7569378260706938126Ep. 22 - Thomas MacKenzie: Learning How To Take Your Time
50:31|On this week’s episode of the Step Stories Podcast, Host Robin Breuner interviews longtime friend Tom McKenzie, a divorced father of two living in Jupiter, Florida, about his family’s step story. Tom recalls learning at age seven that his parents were divorcing, moving from an affluent home in Mission Hills to a smaller house and new schools, feeling different, and coping with an emotionally checked-out mother. After a summer in Spain at 14, he returned to find his home sold, his belongings gone, and his mother in New York, leading him to live full-time with his father. Tom credits his father’s later partner Sue, who became his stepmother, for providing stability, clear expectations, warmth, and a safe family environment that lasted through his father’s death. He also discusses his own marriage and divorce due to mismatched parenting values, his current relationship with a widow as he slowly earns her kids’ trust, reconnecting with his niece after family tragedy, and his advice to be patient, not force bonds, and wait before reacting. STEPMOMCON:https://stepmomcon.com/?affiliate=llcsoh123 Robin Breuner Email: robinbreuner@gmail.comWebsite: www.robinbreuner.comInstagram: stepstoriespodcastIGFacebook: stepstoriespodcastFBLinkedin: RobinBreunerLinkINPodcast: StepStories PodcastThreads: @robinbreunerYouTube: StepStories Podcast YouTubeTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@stepstoriespodcast/video/7569378260706938126Ep. 21 – Kristen Skiles
37:26|Host Robin Bruner kicks off season 3 by welcoming stepmom coach Kristen Skiles, founder of Stepmomming.com, host of Stepmom Made Easy, and author of “Stepmomming Made Easy,” to discuss her work supporting stepmoms worldwide and her upcoming second annual virtual Stepmom Con (April 22–24). Kristen shares her blended-family story, including marrying a single dad, navigating early high-conflict dynamics, and the unusual experience of her husband’s ex-wife and her new husband living with them for three months, which challenged boundaries but helped Kristen release unrealistic expectations and accept she isn’t her stepdaughter’s mom. They talk about adding two sons after a fertility journey, Kristen’s experience as a stepdaughter, why remarriage divorce rates are high, differences for stepmoms partnered with widowers, and what Stepmom Con offers, including expert interviews, live chat, connection hours, and upgrade options. STEPMOMCON:https://stepmomcon.com/?affiliate=llcsoh123 Kristen SkilesEmail: kristen@stepmomming.comWebsite: Stepmomming.comInstagram: Kristen Skiles (@stepmomming)Facebook: Stepmomming Blog Pintrest: Stepmomming with Kristen SkilesThreads: Stepmomming Made EasyBooks: Stepmomming Made EasyStrategies Everything/ Robin Breuner Email: robinbreuner@gmail.comWebsite: www.robinbreuner.comInstagram: stepstoriespodcastIGFacebook: stepstoriespodcastFBLinkedin: RobinBreunerLinkINPodcast: StepStories PodcastThreads: @robinbreunerYouTube: StepStories PodcastYouTubeTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@stepstoriespodcast/video/7569378260706938126BEST OF - Hope Edelman
50:15|In this week’s Best Of episode, Robin Breuner welcomes the esteemed author Hope Edelman to discuss her influential work on grief, particularly for girls and women who have lost their mothers. Edelman, the author of pivotal books like 'Motherless Daughters' and 'The AfterGrief,' shares her journey of writing her groundbreaking first book at a young age, the impact it has had worldwide, and the importance of giving voice to motherless daughters. They delve into the complexities of stepmother relationships, dealing with loss, and the crucial role of maintaining connections to one's departed mother. With profound insights, Hope also talks about her retreats, online support groups, and the powerful community she's built for motherless daughters. This episode provides invaluable perspectives for anyone grappling with grief, particularly in blended family dynamics. Hope EdelmanEmail: hopeedelman@gmail.comWebsite: www.hopeedelman.com www.motherlessdaughters.comInstagram:@hope_edelmanFacebook: www.facebook.com/hopeedelmanautherRobin Breuner Email: robinbreuner@gmail.comWebsite: www.robinbreuner.comInstagram: stepstoriespodcastIGFacebook: stepstoriespodcastFBLinkedin: RobinBreunerLinkINPodcast: StepStories PodcastThreads: @robinbreunerYouTube: StepStories Podcast YouTube