"I Had My First Job and I Lost My First Job in the Course of Two Years" — Tova Halpern on Rebuilding After Being Fired as a New Mom | Mamas Got Fresh Theatre Arts

Tova Halpern's whole career was supposed to follow a script. Miami theater kid → musical theater conservatory → NYU → Broadway producer → dream job at a New Jersey regional theater. And then she had her first baby. And eight weeks later, her company told her: "If you don't come back on Monday, you're fired."She didn't come back. She was fired. And then — slowly, painfully, brilliantly — she built something the system could never have given her: Fresh Theater Arts, a 15-person educational theater company with Broadway partnerships and waitlists 20 kids deep.In this episode of The Money Hungry Mama Podcast, Tova shares the rebuild — including maternity leave as a business owner, how to plan for sick days with no PTO, the "yes and" mindset that builds resilient businesses, why direct marketing still wins in 2026, and the side hustle that's bringing her the most unexpected joy.For every mama who's ever been told no. 💛Pre-Order https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/money-hungry-mama-brittany-plumeri/1148503744