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Published on:

7th Nov 2023

Divorce to Dollars: Empowering Women in Business

Today I am honored to share my new friend Traci Simkins with you all! Traci helps stay at home moms going through divorce turn their passion into a small service based business. She helps them uncover what they are good at and create a way to make a livable wage to support themselves and their children. Traci provides some great examples of how she helps women uncover this (as well as providing a free resource!) and then dives into the process of working with her. Tune in today to learn more about entrepreneurship and creating an income by following your passion. 

In this episode:

[2:16] Traci shares her story. [8:17] How did Traci’s kids do when she got married for a second time? [9:57] What led Traci to start her own business after her second divorce? [11:34] What types of businesses is Traci helping women get started? [13:53] How do you know what kind of business to start? [17:15] How do you transition from your children being your world to entering back into the workforce?  [20:05] What is the process when working with Traci? [24:47] Traci shares her one piece of advice that someone can do right now for a better life.

Key Takeaways: 

[17:40] Even if you don’t think you have a passion, you do. You just need to uncover it. Then you can take that passion and see if it aligns with a service based business you could start to support yourself.  [22:06] We kind of have this idea that having a job that pays us is secure. And it can be, but you can also lose your job. You are dependent on someone else. [24:45] A lot of women tend to go into isolation mode when they are going through a divorce because they don’t want people to know about it. But the best thing you can do for yourself is reach out and ask for help. It could be a coach, a therapist, or finding a support group, but find people you can lean on. 

Quotes:  “I think for women who are looking to start a business, if you don't have a passion, you don't think you do, you do, it might not, you know, oh, I'm a baker or I've been an artist my whole life and I love to cook. It might not be something like that, but if you have a passion for education, if you have a passion for children, if you have a passion for helping anyone, the only thing you need to do when you build a business is find a problem, deliver a solution.” - Traci Simkins

Guest Bio: 

Born in SLC and moving to Honolulu at the age of 14, I developed an agility and adaptability that has served me well. Returning to SLC after 23 years away was a challenge, but it was nothing compared to the two divorces that followed, or to the experience of parenting.  A mother first, my children have always been the center of my world and will always be my number one priority, and raising them has been the single most rewarding experience of my life. My professional career, spanning several different industries and managing people, operations, and most recently, projects, has also provided meaning. But facing my 2nd divorce, I began to be discouraged with the corporate landscape, and was ready to shake things up, so I left to start my own small consulting business.

Resources: 

Is Entrepreneurship Right for Me? 

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Refined by Divorce Podcast

Lesa Koski Website

Lesa’s Online Courses

The Onward app was made for divorced parents to help track, share, and split their children's expenses. Download The Onward App today for iOS or Android!

I am so honored to introduce my FREE Co-Parenting Masterclass. This masterclass will share tools to co-parent well even with a difficult co-parent. You will learn the 5 C's of a Co-Parenting Plan and a free bonus resource with Certified Divorce Lending Specialist, Tami Wollensak, sharing what you want to consider regarding the family home.

Register for free today at https://www.lesakoski.com/co-parenting-masterclass

Mentioned in this episode:

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About the Podcast

Doing Divorce Different A Podcast Guide to Doing Divorce Differently
Divorce, co-parenting, menopause, marriage, and starting over after 40—Doing Divorce Different is your guide to a healthy, faith filled life transition.

Hosted by Family Law Attorney and Mediator Lesa Koski, Doing Divorce Different is a candid, empowering podcast designed to take the fear out of divorce and guide you toward peace—whether you’re navigating a split, working to stay married, or rebuilding a better life after a major transition. Each week, Lesa brings heart-centered legal insight, emotional support, and holistic wisdom to help you heal, grow, and thrive.

We cover everything from amicable divorce and co-parenting strategies to parenting plans that actually work and support kids in thriving through change. You’ll learn how to prepare for marriage with prenups, revisit your relationship with post-nuptial agreements, and understand what it really takes to stay married or rekindle love after a rough season. If you're in the midst of a grey divorce, wondering how to not get divorced, or questioning whether love can be found again, this show is for you.

Lesa also explores the emotional and physical changes that often accompany midlife and major life shifts. From navigating the impact of menopause on your health, marriage, and mood, to dealing with the loneliness that can come after divorce or empty nesting, you’ll find honest conversations that don’t shy away from real-life challenges. And for those of you in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, you’ll discover what it means to truly build a better life after 40.

Health and wellness are deeply integrated into this journey. Lesa shares insights on the benefits of rest, joy, nutrition, fasting, protein, and bone health, along with the power of movement, community, and exercise to support mental clarity and physical strength. You’ll learn how to take care of yourself with intention—because healing isn’t just emotional, it’s also biological.

Mindset work and self-coaching are recurring tools offered in episodes to help you reframe your story and shift from fear to freedom. And through it all, the show honors the role of faith, spiritual surrender, and letting God lead you through every season. Whether you're leaning into your relationship with God for the first time or deepening a lifelong practice, you’ll hear how surrender can bring peace even in the hardest moments.

You’ll hear real stories from people who have done divorce differently, saved their marriages, or found new love and purpose on the other side. Lesa also brings in conversations about marriages that have stood the test of time, co-parenting through complex seasons, and the realities of parenting after separation while maintaining stability for your kids.

This is not just a podcast about divorce. Doing Divorce Different is about taking back your life, rewriting your future, and trusting that you’re not starting over, you’re starting better. If you’re craving practical advice, soul-level encouragement, and real conversations about creating a healthy, joyful, purpose-driven life, you’ve found your community.

Subscribe now and join Lesa Koski for weekly episodes that will help you grow stronger in your relationships, your health, and your faith, no matter where you’re starting from.

About the Host:
I’ve spent over 25 years helping families navigate amicable divorce as a lawyer and mediator, always focused on protecting what matters most—your kids and your peace of mind. But my mission has expanded. Today, I support women over 40 not just through endings, but in building stronger relationships—and sometimes even saving their marriages. I’m a breast cancer survivor, a cowgirl at heart, a wellness advocate, and a follower of Jesus. My life and faith fuel my passion for helping women thrive.

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Lesa Koski