Changing Lanes

Our next Pilates Retreat Club retreat is on the Gold Coast in March 2027. Find out more and grab your spot → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/goldcoast-retreat

This episode talks about domestic violence, sexual violence and abuse, so please listen with care. Please skip this episode if you need to. If you need support in Australia, call 1800RESPECT any time, day or night. If you're in immediate danger, call 000.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan chat with Kerriann Campbell-Jones, CEO of the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre, about domestic violence and why you don't need to be in crisis to reach out for help.

Kerriann leads a team of more than 200 staff across Victoria's Barwon south-west and western Melbourne, and she has her own lived experience of sexual and family violence. They talk about everything from the early red flags of coercive control and financial abuse to how friends and family can help, and why ending violence needs all of us, men included.

It's a heavy topic, but a practical and hopeful chat.

In this episode, we cover:

• How you can reach out for domestic violence support without a referral, police or an AVO, even just to ask "is this normal?"

• How coercive control starts with small things and builds, including cutting you off from friends and family

• Relationship red flags like monitoring your messages and asking for photos to prove where you are

• Financial abuse, and how threatening messages can be sent through five cent bank transfers

• Gaslighting, love bombing and emotional abuse, and why they can leave you feeling like you're going crazy

• How someone gets trapped in domestic abuse and violence, and why we should stop asking why she doesn't leave

• Strangulation as one of the most serious warning signs

• How to support a friend: don't pull away, hold space and stay connected

• Safety planning after leaving, including keeping kids and pets safe, and the link between domestic violence and homelessness

• Why there's no time limit on getting support, including Kerriann waiting 25 years to report her own sexual assault

CONNECT WITH KERRIANN CAMPBELL-JONES

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/kerrianncampbelljones/

LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerriann-campbell-jones-gaicd-97780a48/

Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre → https://www.safvcentre.org.au/

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone navigating a life change, career change or next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations and practical encouragement.

Our next Pilates Retreat Club retreat is on the Gold Coast in March 2027. Find out more and grab your spot → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/goldcoast-retreat

This episode talks about domestic violence and abuse, so please listen with care. Please skip this episode if you need to. We'll be back with a new episode next week.If you need support in Australia, call 1800RESPECT any time, day or night. If you're in immediate danger, call 000.

Domestic violence doesn't always look like what we expect, and it often happens behind closed doors.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan share two survivor stories of domestic violence.

The first is a close friend's story of coercive control, love bombing and the seven attempts it took her to leave.

The second comes from someone who grew up in a home with domestic violence, where their mum never left.

It's a heavy chat but a hopeful one.

They finish with practical advice from Kerriann Campbell-Jones, CEO of the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre, on spotting relationship red flags and how to help a friend in an abusive relationship.

Kerriann joins Rachel and Susan next week for a full episode, so make sure you're subscribed.

In this episode, we cover:

• Domestic violence in Australia, including the stat that 1 in 5 women have experienced violence from an intimate partner

• How coercive control builds slowly, from cutting her off from family to taking her keys so she couldn't leave

• Love bombing, emotional manipulation and why she kept going back

• Emotional abuse and psychological abuse, and believing everything he said about her

• Why it can take seven attempts to leave an abusive relationship

• Life as a domestic abuse survivor, including PTSD and getting mental health support

• Growing up with domestic violence and how childhood trauma shows up in adult relationships

• Why mums stay: the kids, money, fear and worrying no one will believe them

• The signs of domestic violence we can easily miss in a friend

• How to bring it up, how to help (like a code word or holding onto important documents), and why you should never confront the partner

  
  

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone navigating a life change, career change or next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations and practical encouragement.

💛🌴Come away with us! Our next Pilates Retreat Club retreat is on the Gold Coast in March 2027. Find out more and grab your spot → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/goldcoast-retreat

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan chat with Kath Carlin, the celebrity makeup artist turned comedian behind some of the funniest early 2000s reels on your feed. After more than 20 years doing makeup for Channel 7, 9, 10 and Fox, plus trips to Wimbledon and the US Open with the tennis commentary team, Kath had the career, the partner and the baby. But at around 37, she kept asking herself, "Is this all there is?"

They talk about everything from writing "I think I wanna be a comedian" in her journal and scrunching it up straight away, to starting an anonymous TikTok, the fake tan video that hit a million views, and her brother-in-law asking if it was her on Father's Day. Kath also opens up about saying no to good-paying makeup work to make room for content, reshaping her work around her daughter, and the heartbreak of trying for a second baby.

A funny, honest chat for any woman who's ever wondered if it's too late to change careers.

In this episode, we cover:

• From makeup school to working for Channel 7, 9, 10 and Fox at the same time

• The "is this all there is" feeling, even when life looks great on paper

• Starting a midlife career change with an anonymous TikTok at 38

• The fake tan video she nearly deleted her account over

• How to stop caring what people think, especially the people you know

• Saying no to weddings, private clients and TV to make space for something new

• Career change for women after kids, and why what suited her before her daughter stopped working

• Letting go of the "shoulds" around pregnancy, birth and how life is meant to go

• 2000s nostalgia, aging backwards and Thursday tan night in the nursing home

• Kath's advice on career reinvention after 40 for women who think they're too old

CONNECT WITH KATH CARLIN

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/kathcarlinmakeup/

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@kathcarlin

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone navigating a life change, career change or next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations and practical encouragement.

Join our next retreat 🧘‍♀️ → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/shop

Her husband was about to burn the newspaper. Then he spotted the ad.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan chat with Susan Dean, founder and CEO of Dean Publishing. Susan has done it all, from working in jobs that weren’t fulfilling, to mature age study to running businesses.

Then came the newspaper ad. Four words, “do you like helping people,” torn out of the paper her husband was ripping up to build a fire. She rang the number and became the world’s first female Mars Venus coach for Dr John Gray.

In this episode, we cover:

• The newspaper ad her husband nearly burnt, and the career change that followed

• Becoming the world’s first female Mars Venus coach for Dr John Gray

• Going back to study as a mature age student after saying no to uni at 18

• Leaving a successful business because it wasn’t the one she wanted

• How to write a book when you don’t know where to start

• What stops people from writing their book, and the fears she hears most

• How to publish a book, and getting picked up by bookstores

• Losing everything and starting over when you can’t pay the mortgage

• The authors whose stories still stop her, years later

• Running a business around school hours, assemblies and small kids

• Working with her two daughters now they’ve come back to the business

CONNECT WITH SUSAN DEAN

Dean Publishing → https://deanpublishing.com/

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/susandeanofficial

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

Join our next retreat 🧘‍♀️ → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/shop

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan chat with Marika about changing careers over and over again, including starting a science degree with a baby on her hip.

Marika is a functional nutritionist now, but she got there the long way.

She was living in New York when the GFC hit. She lost her job, her husband lost his. And with $13.67 in their account they came home. Built an e-commerce business out of her mum’s house, grew it into a store and a wholesale label, then sold it when she fell pregnant.

They talk about everything from going back to uni as a mum, to losing almost everything during COVID, to her son’s autoimmune diagnosis.

In this episode, we cover:

• Going back to uni at 30 with a six month old, and finishing just after her second baby

• Why first year nutrition is chemistry, physics and anatomy, not cooking

• Changing careers in your 30s when you never thought of yourself as academic

• Starting over with $13.67 after losing your job in the GFC

• Building an e-commerce business from her mum’s house, and selling it when she fell pregnant

• What happened to their gym through the Melbourne lockdowns

• Working two jobs, homeschooling, and a day a week at the Royal Children’s

• Hitting rock bottom and self-medicating with coffee, alcohol and sugar

• Why failure is a step forward and indecision is the thing holding you still

• Testing a new career with a short course before you commit to a degree

• Being ambitious and a mum at the same time

CONNECT WITH MARIKA

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/marika.ward.nutrition/?hl=en

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

Join our next retreat 🧘‍♀️ → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/shop

You sent us your friendship breakup stories, and some of them left us speechless.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, we read the stories you sent in after last week's friendship breakups episode. A best friend who had an affair with a husband and is now the children's stepmum. A mum friendship that ended with an ultimatum at a train station and then silence. A friendship from school that fell apart over a bridesmaid fitting.

We couldn't fit every story into the episode, so the rest are on our Substack → https://changinglanesthepodcast.substack.com/p/the-friendship-breakups-we-never

In this episode, we cover:

• Losing a best friend to an affair, and what happens when she becomes your children's stepmum

• Why being ghosted is the hardest kind of friendship breakup

• How to get over a friendship breakup when you never get a reason

• Mum friendship breakups, and the kids who grieve their friends too

• A bridesmaid fallout that ended a friendship from school

• What happens when a friend apologises years later

• Why a repaired friendship is rarely quite the same

• One-sided friendships and a friend who became dependent

• How different life stages pull friends apart

• Noticing your other friendships get stronger after you lose the wrong one

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

Join our next retreat 🧘‍♀️ → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/shop

Losing a friend is a breakup too, and we don't talk about it enough.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, we get honest about friendships in our 30s and 40s. We talk about how friendships change through the years. What it means to outgrow friends and how it feels to be in a one-sided friendship.

We both share friendship breakup stories and what it taught us. If you're going through something with a friend right now, this one's for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• How friendships change after 30 when kids and work take over

• Making friends as an adult through the school gate and kids' sport

• One-sided friendships and the little check-ins that keep friendships alive

• Why some friends aren't happy for you, and whether support has to be public

• Love languages in friendship

• Outgrowing friends when your life changes direction

• Why a friendship breakup hurts like the end of a relationship

• How to get over a friendship breakup when you never get the reason why

• Drifting apart from friends versus a sudden breakup

• Losing friends after 30 compared with your 20s

• How to be a good friend by listening, asking questions and being honest

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

Music: 'Arise' by Tristan Barton on #Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/c/tristan-barton

License code: RPCGEBG1TYCZS2IO

Join our next retreat 🧘‍♀️ → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/shop

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rach and Susan chat about the whys of life. These are the everyday habits that seem to come up with every woman they know. If you're a people pleaser who replays every conversation on the drive home, this one's for you.

They talk about everything from why we feel guilty when we rest and how hard it is to say no without feeling guilty, to why we downplay our achievements, compare ourselves to strangers on social media and keep waiting for the right time while feeling stuck. They also get into why we seem to care less about what people think in our 40s (they're blaming the hormones).

It's a fun, honest chat between two friends owning all their habits, and by the end they've decided everyone needs a little therapy.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why we're always running late, overcommitting and leaving no buffers

• Why women downplay their achievements and wait for recognition

• Why someone else's success can trigger us, and how to use it as inspiration

• People pleasing and why we want everyone to like us

• Wanting more from life when life is already good

• Saying no without feeling guilty, and why it's easier to say no to our own family

• Why we feel guilty when we rest

• Comparing yourself to others on social media and the highlight reel

• Why we overthink everything we say

• Why there's never a right time to make a change, and the truth about your 40s

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan chat about the reality of running a business and the things people don’t tell you before you start.

They talk about everything from freedom and flexibility to long hours, boundaries and the moment you realise you cannot do it all.

This is an honest and relatable chat about what it really takes to run a business.

In this episode, we cover:

• Running a business and what no one tells you

• The reality of business ownership

• Business freedom, flexibility and balance

• Phone boundaries and after-hours messages

• Always being switched on

• Outsourcing and business support

• Knowing your numbers

• Hiring the right people

• Business burnout and loneliness

• Remembering your why

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan chat about the honest side of motherhood, from mum fails and school admin chaos to the guilt that comes with trying to remember everything.

They start with the funny side of mum life, sharing their own parenting fails, forgotten dress-up days, missing nappies, last-minute panic and the moments that remind us we are all just figuring it out as we go.

The conversation also touches on the invisible load of motherhood, the pressure to get everything right and why so many mums feel guilty even when they are doing their best.

This is a relatable episode about mum life, parenting fails, the mental load and the reminder that no one is getting it right all the time.

In this episode, we cover:

• Mum life and mum guilt

• Parenting fails and school admin chaos

• Book Week, dress-up days and last-minute panic

• Forgotten nappies and calling in support

• The invisible load of motherhood

• The mental load of trying to remember everything

• The pressure to get it right

• Trying to do it all as a mum

• Learning to say sorry

• Laughing at the chaos and dropping the guilt

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/floating-on-the-breeze

License code: LKFNI0WJSN8GFKWT

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/tea-pop

License code: WUHKVCQR8C6RAQZC

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan are joined by Max Price, Comedy Writer and Director, for a Father’s Day conversation about fatherhood, comedy and building a career through change.

Max shares how making skate videos as a kid in Hong Kong sparked his love of filming and comedy. Years later, that passion became a career in TV, social media and live performance.

He also talks about becoming a dad unexpectedly and how fatherhood changed the way he worked. The chaos of everyday family life became some of his best comedy material.

The conversation also explores career setbacks and business failure. Max shares what he learned from choosing a clearer content lane and how he keeps going when things do not go to plan.

This is a funny, honest and refreshing episode about fatherhood, parenting, failure, creativity and finding your lane.

In this episode, we cover:

• Fatherhood and becoming a dad
• Parenting comedy and relatable family life
• Building a creative career
• Choosing a content lane
• Comedy writing and content creation
• Business failure and lessons learned
• Career setbacks and resilience
• The pressure to provide
• Being a present dad
• Work, parenting and family balance
• Finding the funny side of everyday life
• What success looks like as a parent

CONNECT WITH US

Max Price Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/maxprice3/

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan sit down with Abby Gilmore to talk about motherhood, co-parenting and life in the public eye.

Abby opens up about becoming a young mum, going through separation in the public eye and learning how to co-parent in a way that puts her children first.

She talks about the emotional reality of raising children after separation and how she learned to put their needs first while creating more peace for her family.

They discuss what it has been like to grow up online and deal with public judgement. Abby also shares how content creation helped her build a community and learn to show up with more honesty, stronger boundaries and self-trust.

This is an honest and relatable conversation about motherhood, co-parenting, public pressure and rebuilding your life through change.

In this episode, we cover:

• Becoming a young mum

• Motherhood in your twenties

• Separation and co-parenting

• Putting children first after separation

• Raising kids in the public eye

• Online judgement and public criticism

• Creating content from real life

• Building an online community

• The business side of content creation

• Setting boundaries

• Finding peace after a difficult season

• Redefining success around family, home and emotional safety

CONNECT WITH US

Abby Gilmore Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/abbgilmore

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel sits down with Susan as she shares the story of her daughter Ella’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis.

Susan talks about what life looked like before August 2025, when she was growing her business, building the retreat business and feeling like she was starting to get more freedom as her children got older. Then, one phone call from the doctor changed everything.

Susan shares what diagnosis day was like, from the early symptoms they nearly brushed off to the hospital stay that followed. She also reflects on Ella learning to inject insulin on her 11th birthday and the daily reality of managing Type 1 diabetes, including blood sugar, insulin, carb counting and glucose levels.

The conversation also explores the mental load of Type 1 diabetes, the impact it has on the whole family, the misconceptions people still have about diabetes and the resilience Ella continues to show.

This is for anyone wanting to better understand what Type 1 diabetes really looks like for families, and for any parent navigating a diagnosis, a new normal or a life-changing season with their child.

In this episode, we cover:

• Ella’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis

• Early symptoms and diagnosis day

• Hospital, insulin injections and blood sugar

• Carb counting and glucose levels

• CGMs and insulin pumps

• The mental load of Type 1 diabetes

• Diabetic ketoacidosis and early diagnosis

• Common Type 1 diabetes misconceptions

• Parenting through diagnosis

• The impact on the whole family

• Ella’s resilience and strength

• Advice for newly diagnosed families

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone figuring out your next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, real stories and practical encouragement to support you as you navigate change.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan sit down for a Q&A episode, answering your questions with plenty of honesty, humour and real-life reflections.

They answer a mix of playful, personal and reflective questions about the jobs they have had, the lane changes that shaped them and the advice they still think about. They also talk about the realities of mum life and what they hope to be remembered for.

In this episode, we cover:

• Q&A with Rachel and Susan

• Funny personal stories and wildest jobs

• Biggest life and career lane changes

• Life advice, life lessons and trusting your gut

• Mum hacks, working mum life and motherhood

• Habits they are trying to quit

• Why you are never too old to start something new

• Changing direction and figuring out what comes next

• Work life balance, family life and dream lives

• What they want to be remembered for

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone navigating a life change, career change or next chapter, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations and practical encouragement.

In Part 2 of this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan continue their conversation with Merrin Schnabel, founder of MADGE Beauty and the Geelong Women’s Business Club.

Merrin shares the less glamorous side of entrepreneurship, including the pressure, sleepless nights and loneliness that can sit behind business success.

They also talk about building the right team, switching off without guilt, managing motherhood and multiple passions, and why women do not need to stay in one lane.

Merrin reflects on moving away from constant hustle, becoming more self-aware and learning to trust the process. She also shares her advice for anyone considering a new business or venture: back yourself, block out the outside noise and start before you feel completely ready.

In this episode, we cover:

• The reality behind business success

• Building the right team

• Switching off without guilt

• Business, motherhood and personal wellbeing

• Why women do not need to stay in one lane

• Recognising burnout before it takes over

• Moving away from hustle

• Trusting yourself and taking the leap

CONNECT WITH US

Merrin Schnabel Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/merrin_schnabelMADGE Beauty → https://www.instagram.com/madge_beauty/Geelong Women’s Business Club → https://www.instagram.com/geelong_women/Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering what is next for you, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan sit down with Merrin Schnabel, entrepreneur and founder of MADGE Beauty and the Geelong Women’s Business Club.

In Part 1, Merrin shares how entrepreneurship has always been part of who she is, from starting her first business at 19 to building a women’s business community and launching a successful beauty brand.

Merrin talks about taking the Geelong Women’s Business Club from a local community to events across Australia, creating MADGE Beauty from a product she personally wanted, and why personal brand and showing up online have been so important in her business growth.

In this episode, we cover:

• Merran’s early journey into entrepreneurship

• Starting her first business at 19

• Building the Geelong Women’s Business Club

• Growing a local business community Australia-wide

• Launching MADGE Beauty

• Building a successful beauty business

• The role of personal brand in business growth

• Showing up online with authenticity

• Why mindset matters for entrepreneurs

• Backing yourself as a business owner

CONNECT WITH US

Merrin Schnabel Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/merrin_schnabelCheck out Madge Beauty → https://www.instagram.com/madge_beauty/

Connect with → https://www.instagram.com/geelong_women/

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering what is next for you, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Rachel and Susan continue their chat with Ange Macauley, founder and CEO of the Type 1 Foundation.

This episode picks up after Lila’s Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis, as Ange reflects on the early days, the advice she gives to newly diagnosed families, and the moment she realised her family’s experience was going to become something much bigger.

Ange shares how the Type 1 Foundation was born, the emotional load parents carry, and the reality of helping others while still living the Type 1 journey at home.

In this episode, we cover:

• Ange’s advice for families after diagnosis

• Why Type 1 diabetes does not always get easier, but you get stronger

• Parent guilt and the emotional load

• How the Type 1 Foundation was born

• Why care packages matter to newly diagnosed families

• The reality of running a not-for-profit from lived experience

• Balancing family, advocacy and purpose

• Ange’s advice for anyone facing a life-changing moment

CONNECT WITH US

Type 1 Foundation → https://www.type1foundation.com.au

Type 1 Foundation Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/?hl=en

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering what is next for you, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

A note before you listen: This episode touches on some difficult life experiences including a family member's drug addiction and mental illness, sexual assault, and eating disorders. We share these with the greatest care and respect for Ange's story. If any of these topics are sensitive for you, please take care as you listen.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan sit down with Ange Macauley, founder and CEO of the Type 1 Foundation.

In Part 1 of two-part episode, Ange shares the life experiences that shaped her, from growing up in a large family and navigating trauma, to becoming a young mum and facing the moment that changed everything: her daughter Lila’s Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis.

Ange opens up about the early signs they missed, the family holiday that became a medical emergency, and the overwhelming reality of learning to manage Type 1 Diabetes as a parent.

This episode is for any parent, mum or family who has ever had to trust their instinct, advocate for their child, or survive a diagnosis that changed life overnight.

In this episode, we cover:

• Ange’s life before the Type 1 Foundation

• How lived experience shaped her passion for helping others

• Becoming a young mum and finding peace in motherhood

• The early signs of Type 1 diabetes in children

• Lila’s symptoms before diagnosis

• When a family holiday became a medical emergency

• The moment Lyla was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes

• ICU, overwhelm and the early diagnosis load

• Managing Type 1 diabetes as a parent

CONNECT WITH US

Type 1 Foundation → https://www.type1foundation.com.au

Type 1 Foundation Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/thetype1foundation/?hl=en

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering what is next for you, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan sit down with Tess Holmes, content creator, makeup artist, marketer and mum of three.

Tess shares her journey from fitness and retail to makeup artistry, fashion marketing, e-commerce and working for herself again. She talks honestly about career change, burnout, mum guilt, people pleasing, creativity and the pressure to have one clear title or lane.

This episode is for any woman or mum who feels like her career no longer fits, is recovering from burnout, or is trying to work out what comes next without rushing the process.

In this episode, we cover:

• Tess talks about her journey from fitness and retail into makeup artistry

• Moving into fashion marketing and e-commerce

• Juggling a demanding role with three young children

• Burnout, people pleasing and the pressure to do 120%

• Why Tess decided to work for herself again

• How movement and Pilates support her mental clarity

• Why she no longer feels the need to fit into one career lane

• Tess’ advice for women in the middle of changing lanes

CONNECT WITH US

Tess Holmes → Tess Holmes (@tessholmes_makeup)

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering what is next for you, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In this last episode of this mini series of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan wrap up their How to Stay Healthy When Life Is Busy mini series with a conversation about sleep, recovery and simple ways to reset.

This episode is not about needing a full weekend away or adding more to your already full plate. It is about small, everyday habits that can help you recover, regulate your energy and feel more like yourself when life is busy.

Rachel and Susan talk about why sleep is so important, how lack of sleep can affect cravings, workouts, hormones, stress and immunity, and why recovery often gets overlooked when we are trying to stay healthy.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why sleep matters when life is busy

• How lack of sleep can affect cravings, energy, stress and immunity

• Why recovery is just as important as nutrition and exercise

• Simple ways to reset without needing a full weekend away

• How gratitude journaling can support your mood and sleep

• Why writing things down can help clear your mind

• The value of walking, fresh air and small daily resets

• How fun, friendship and movement can help reduce stress

• Why looking after yourself can be simple and realistic

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

Free Recipes Here → https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NmEHLeIJWxPDsyZQz1mXzuoMpy27WmBc/view

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering how to look after yourself while life feels full, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In this mini episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan continue their How to Stay Healthy When Life Is Busy mini series with realistic exercise and movement tips for busy women and mums.

This episode is not about finding hours you do not have or forcing yourself into a perfect workout routine. It is about simple ways to move your body when life is full, whether that is walking, short workouts, movement at home or fitting exercise into the moments you already have.

This episode is for any busy woman or mum who wants to move more, feel better and look after her health without adding more pressure to her day.

In this episode, we cover:

• Simple exercise tips for busy women and mums

• Why walking wherever you can really does add up

• How to fit movement into everyday moments

• Why 10-minute workouts can still make a difference

• Easy barre, mat and strength exercises you can do at home

• How to move your body while cooking, watching TV or spending time with kids

• Why exercise is not just about fitness or weight loss

• How movement can support your energy, mood and mental clarity

• Why something is better than nothing when life is busy

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

Free Recipes Here → https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NmEHLeIJWxPDsyZQz1mXzuoMpy27WmBc/view

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering how to look after yourself while life feels full, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In this mini episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan kick off their How to Stay Healthy When Life Is Busy mini series with practical nutrition tips for busy women and mums.

This episode is not about perfect meal plans or making everything from scratch. It is about finding realistic, nutritious options that fit into real life, whether you are at home, at work, in the car or rushing between everything else.

This episode is for any busy woman or mum who wants to eat better, feel more energised and make healthy choices without adding more pressure to her day.

Recipes:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NmEHLeIJWxPDsyZQz1mXzuoMpy27WmBc/view?usp=sharing

In this episode, we cover:

• Simple nutrition tips for busy women and mums

• Quick breakfast, lunch and snack ideas

• Grab-and-go options with protein, fats and fibre

• Supermarket shortcuts that still support your health

• Why meal prep does not have to be complicated

• Easy ways to make extra food while you are already cooking

• Air fryer meals, one-pan options and quick healthy recipes

• How eating well can support your energy when life is busy

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering how to look after yourself while life feels full, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan talk about what happens after you have worked out what you want and created some space for it in your life.

Because setting the goal is one thing, but actually taking the next step can feel like the most daunting part.

They also talk about why planning can feel safe, why fear of judgement can creep in when it is time to put something out into the world, and why the right support network can make such a difference when you are changing lanes.

In this episode, we cover:

• What to do after you have set a goal

• Why taking the first step can feel so daunting

• How Rachel and Susan turned the podcast idea into action

• Why you do not need to know everything before you begin

• How to research the time, money and support your goal may need

• Why the right people, courses, coaches or community can help you move forward

• How to move from planning into action

• Why fear, doubt and judgement can creep in when you start something new

• The difference between taking a risk and taking a calculated risk

• Why timing, life experience and support all matter when changing lanes

TIME & ENERGY AUDIT → https://changing-lanes.kit.com/9fc546110d

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcastPilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclubThe Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering what is next for you, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

challenges busy women and working mums face: finding enough time for everything they want and need to do.

With 168 hours in a week, it can feel like there should be enough time. But once you account for sleep, paid work, motherhood, school runs, life admin, health, relationships and the unexpected curveballs that can throw everything off, those hours disappear quickly.

Rachel and Susan work through a simple time audit to look at where their weeks are really going. They also share practical ways to create more space, reduce decision fatigue and make time for the people, goals and experiences that matter most.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to audit where your 168-hour week is really going

• Whether your goals realistically fit your current time and capacity

• How work, motherhood, life admin and the mental load compete for your attention

• The difference between time with your family and genuine quality time

• Why rest, fun and activities that energise you still need space

• How decision fatigue and perfectionism can drain your capacity

• Why asking for help and outsourcing can give you valuable time back

• How meal planning, preparation and weekly organisation can simplify your life

• Practical ways to make more room for your goals and what actually matters

TIME & ENERGY AUDIT → https://changing-lanes.kit.com/9fc546110d

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering how to create more space for what matters, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan sit down to talk about the question so many women find themselves asking, even as grown-ups: what do I actually want to be when I grow up?

From childhood dreams of becoming a dolphin trainer and a garbage truck lady, to career paths in marketing, HR, medicine, fitness, nutrition and business, they reflect on how much can change as you grow, become a mum, build a life, and realise the things you once wanted may no longer fit.

This episode is for any woman who feels like she is in a season of change, questioning her career path, craving more flexibility, or trying to work out what her next chapter could look like.

In this episode, we cover:

• What Rachel and Susan wanted to be when they were young

• Why choosing a career path at 17 can feel impossible

• How your goals can change as you grow, become a mum and move through different life seasons

• Why the feeling behind the career can matter more than the job title

• How motherhood can shift your values, priorities and version of success

• The difference between setting goals and working out how you want life to feel

• Rachel and Susan’s ideal day and what that revealed about what they really wanted

• Why flexibility, freedom, structure and connection matter in different ways

• How to reassess whether your current life still fits

• What lights Rachel and Susan up in their work now

• Why your lane does not have to stay the same forever

• How experience can become an advantage when you are changing lanes

• Why it is never too late to make a change or choose a new direction

  
  

TIME & ENERGY AUDIT → https://changing-lanes.kit.com/9fc546110d

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcastPilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclubThe Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering what is next for you, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Susan steps into the interviewer’s seat to deep dive into Rachel’s story, who she is, what shaped her, and how her many lane changes led her to the life she has now.

Rachel shares what life looked like before Changing Lanes, from studying fashion, marketing, nutrition and journalism, to working in health, becoming a mum of three, opening Pilates studios and eventually making the decision to sell the business she had built.

This episode is for any woman who feels like the life, business or career she built no longer quite fits, but is not sure what comes next.

In this episode, we cover:

• Rachel’s story before Changing Lanes

• Motherhood, business and raising three kids

• Why Rachel has always loved learning, studying and exploring new paths

• Her early career ideas, from fashion design to marketing, medicine, fitness and nutrition

• How her different career pivots eventually started to make sense

• Starting a business from home while on maternity leave

• Building and running Pilates studios

• The decision to sell her business and step into a new chapter

• The self-doubt and emotion that came with letting go

• Why selling the studios helped Rachel create a more aligned life

• The messy middle of career change, motherhood and business

• Why your first version does not have to be perfect

• Rachel’s advice for women who know they want more

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley Retreat → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/barre-box-bubbles-yarravalley

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering whether the life you built still fits, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

For Women Who Know They Want More: Friendship, Business and Life Transitions

In the very first episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel and Susan sit down to share the story behind the podcast, their friendship, and the many lane changes that brought them here.

From Pilates studio owner and member, to instructor and manager, to buyer and seller, to business partners and now podcast co-hosts, their relationship has taken a few unexpected turns along the way.

They also share what “changing lanes” means to them, why it is never too late to start again or choose a new direction, and how this podcast became a space for honest conversations about life, growth, confidence and wanting more.

In this episode, we cover:

• The story behind Changing Lanes

• How Rachel and Susan’s friendship began

• Their journey from Pilates studio owner and member to business partners

• The unique dynamic of being friends, colleagues and co-founders

• Why supportive female friendship matters when you are navigating change

• How The Pilates Retreat Club helped inspire the podcast

• What they learnt from listening to women’s stories on retreat

• Why changing lanes can happen at any age or stage of life

• The role of motherhood, business and passion in their own lane changes

• Why taking the first step often feels scary, but worth it

• What listeners can expect from future episodes

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering what is next for you, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.

In this episode of Changing Lanes, Rachel steps into the interviewer’s seat to deep dive into Susan’s story, who she is, what shaped her, and how she changed careers at 38 before she felt fully ready.

Susan shares what life looked like before Pilates, from growing up in a big family, becoming a mum of three, working in corporate roles, studying different courses, bookkeeping from home and feeling like she was always searching for something more.

This episode is for any woman who feels like the life or career she built no longer quite fits, but is not sure where to begin.

In this episode, we cover:

• Susan’s story before Changing Lanes

• Growing up in a big family and her love of connection

• Motherhood, business and the juggle behind the scenes

• How her daughter’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis shaped her view of health and wellbeing

• Feeling stuck in work that made sense, but did not light her up

• How Pilates became the turning point

• Changing careers at 38 and taking the first step before feeling ready

• Buying a Pilates studio and building businesses in her 40s

• Why it is never too late to change lanes, find purpose or start again

• Susan’s advice for women who know they want more

CONNECT WITH US

Changing Lanes Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/changinglanesthepodcast

Pilates Retreat Club Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/pilatesretreatclub

The Pilates Retreat Club → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au

Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley Retreat → https://www.thepilatesretreatclub.com.au/barre-box-bubbles-yarravalley

If you are a busy woman, mum, professional, business owner or someone quietly wondering whether it is too late to change careers, find purpose or start again, subscribe to Changing Lanes for honest conversations, practical encouragement and real stories to help you navigate your next chapter with more clarity, confidence and support.