Her Intentional Reset

Returning to work after a career break? Here's what stay-at-home moms get told: the years home don't count, you'll come back at a lower title, and you should take whatever salary is offered. Leah Tilstra rejected all three — and walked back into engineering at Abbott with a senior title and a sign-on bonus after twelve years raising four kids.How did she pull it off? She refused the apologetic part-time re-entry, used one old work relationship to land the right R&D team at Abbott, and walked into salary negotiations with a clear number and the willingness to be told no. The mantra she carries into every high-stakes interview: "They didn't know me yesterday, but they'll remember me tomorrow."ABOUT GUEST: Leah Tilstra is a mechanical engineer and senior R&D engineer at Abbott, working on artificial heart valves in the TAVI space. Early in her career, she climbed quickly through medical device roles then made the intentional decision to step away for twelve years to raise her four children and support her family's move from Texas to Minnesota. During her career pause, she didn't just stay at home. Leah ran a nonprofit preschool, built a sewing business, coached middle school athletes, and led a moms' community group.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:[00:14:10] The pharmacy wake-up moment that pushed Leah from "testing the waters" to returning to work full-time[00:21:29] The networking move that helped a stay-at-home mom return to engineering after a 12-year career break[00:37:13] How to negotiate salary and a sign-on bonus after a long career pause — even when the company offers less[00:38:57] The one-line confidence script she repeats before any high-stakes room or interview[00:27:10] The "Sift My Wife Does" Google Doc that names the mental load every working mom is carryingGUEST LINKSInstagram: @illegallyblondieFacebook: @illegallyblondLinkedIn: Leah TilstraCONNECT WITH HIRInstagram @ herintentionalreset.coFacebook @ Her Intentional Reset.coWebsite: www.herintentionalreset.comIf HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: Kofi Support The ShowNo pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so.Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forwardLicense code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC

You spent 20+ years building real expertise — the kind you can't fake — and now you're staring down a layoff, a restructure, or just a quiet voice asking if this is really it. What if the skills you've spent two decades building are the exact foundation you need for something that's finally yours?ABOUT GUEST: Courtney Reimer is the founder and principal strategist at Sounds Great, a podcast strategy company, and the host of the podcast Talking the Talk. After two decades as a senior executive at Spotify, Audible, MTV, and Discovery — including executive producing Archetypes with Meghan Markle — she was laid off and started her own business. In this conversation she walks through the real mechanics of a midlife career change: the "you're not your job" reframe from her husband, the moment she realized her expertise was worth paying for, the under-pricing trap, and why being 52 is an asset rather than a liability.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:[00:09:59] How Courtney decided to bet on herself and start consulting after a layoff[00:11:03] The signal that tells you your 20 years of expertise is worth paying for[00:14:06] The five-word mantra her husband gave her: "You're not your job"[00:26:08] The practical and financial considerations of starting your own business[00:28:33] How to set your consulting rates when you're starting out[00:31:17] Why 52 is a credibility marker, not a liability, in a midlife career changeGUEST OFFER:Sounds Great — Launch Podcast Accelerator — to find out more, email Courtney at: [email protected]: https://www.soundsgreatstrategy.comPodcast: Talking the talkAdditional Guest ReferencesDeb Boulanger podcast: Life After CorporateThe Artist's Way by Julia CameronSPONSOR: Roots & Bloom -- follow on InstagramMention Her Intentional Reset for 20% off code of plant purchase.CONNECT WITH HIRInstagram @ herintentionalreset.coFacebook @ Her Intentional Reset.coWebsite: www.herintentionalreset.comIf HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: Kofi Support The ShowNo pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so.Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forwardLicense code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC