From 9-to-5 to Freedom: How Working Moms Can Build and Sell Profitable Businesses with Shilpi Zalani

In this powerful episode of Unbreakable Mompreneurs, Charisse Walker sits down with certified high-performance coach and serial entrepreneur Shilpi Zalani to talk about what it really takes to move from corporate burnout to entrepreneurial freedom.Shilpi’s journey is anything but ordinary. Born in India, raised in Malaysia, and coming from a culturally conservative background where women were primarily expected to be homemakers, she became the first woman in her extended family to earn a degree and build a career. After moving to the United States on a dependent visa and temporarily losing her ability to work, she experienced what it felt like to lose independence and identity. She fought her way back, earned her graduate degree, and built a successful corporate career in IT.Then motherhood changed everything.When her young daughter once said, “Mama, I miss you. Why do you have to work?” it became a turning point. Shilpi realized she did not want to choose between career success and being present for her family. She took a leap of faith and started her first business.Over the next several years, Shilpi built and sold multiple six-figure businesses, including an after-school program that became the top in its area, a staffing franchise, and later an online cookie business. Each venture taught her lessons about courage, alignment, resilience, and reinvention.Today, through her program From 9 to Thrive, Shilpi helps ambitious working moms transition from traditional careers into purposeful entrepreneurship without sacrificing their well-being. Her mission is simple: build businesses that fit your life instead of running it.In this conversation, Charisse and Shilpi unpack:• The mindset shift required to move from employee to entrepreneur• Why courage matters more than clarity in the beginning• How to start before you feel fully ready• The truth about burnout, mom guilt, and societal pressure• Why alignment is critical when choosing your next business• The importance of accountability and mentorshipShilpi emphasizes that 80 percent of success is mindset and 20 percent is skills. Many women wait for perfect clarity before taking action, but clarity actually comes through action. Even small daily steps can create massive long-term transformation.They also dive into motherhood — the emotional tug-of-war between ambition and presence, the pressure to be everything to everyone, and the reality that fulfillment looks different for every woman. Whether you are a working mom, a stay-at-home mom, or somewhere in between, the message is clear: you cannot pour from an empty cup. Growth and fulfillment matter.If you have been feeling stuck in a nine-to-five, questioning your next move, or dreaming of building something of your own, this episode is your reminder that you are not stuck. You can pivot. You can build. You can thrive.Connect with Charisse Walker:Instagram: @charissewalker1charissewalker.com Connect with Shilpi Zalani: Instagram: @ShilpiZalani website: ShilpiZalani.com to book a free strategy session and learn more about her upcoming coaching programs.Unbreakable Mompreneurs, it is time to thrive.