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Success isn’t grades, money, or status.  It’s fulfillment, joy, and kindness that come together to allow you to live your best life. –  Colleen Esposito

Welcome back to part 2 of my interview with my daughter, Colleen Esposito, co-author of Nelson’s Garden and our follow-up children’s book, Nelson’s Garden & the Free Little Flower Stand.  It’s been a joy to ask my daughter the same kinds of questions I ask every woman who is a guest on the show and to hear her wise, thoughtful, and sometimes sassy answers.  After all, Colleen is the “Queen of Sass”, a nickname given to her decades ago by her Godmother, who recognized her chutzpah early on.  Colleen is the kind of person who figures out how to make the best of any situation, evidenced by her determination to become the family cook at 10 when she made her first Thanksgiving meal.  In this interview, we extend our gratitude to the village that raised Colleen and her brother, Christopher, as well as her grandfather, fondly known as “Bapa,”  who stepped in to take care of them every day after school.  In this interview, Colleen shares what happened to her at 20 when she fell asleep at the wheel and almost died.  “I had a moment of being unsure if I was dead or alive, or in this weird in-between place where I could see myself, I could see the car, but I was away from it, watching it all.”   From stories about what it was like to sleep on the newsroom floor when I started my career in major market radio, to finding true love and becoming the mother of two precious daughters herself, this interview is a tribute to the enduring power of the mother-daughter connection. #daughter #family #childrensbookauthor #gardening

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Getting a book published is not for the faint of heart. It’s kind of heartbreaking because you have this book you’ve poured your heart and soul into, and you’re hoping readers will love it, too. -Colleen Esposito

I’ve wanted to introduce my daughter, Colleen, to you for the longest time, and here she is!   Recorded from the window seat in her home just outside of Boston, part 1 of this interview focuses on the process of writing our illustrated children’s book series, Nelson’s Garden www.nelsonsgarden.com.   Colleen and I met Nelson McNutt when she was growing up.  He lived in a falling-down farmhouse in Weston, Massachusetts, and we’d see him working in his garden every morning on our way to summer camp.  One morning, Colleen asked if we could pull over and say hello. Nelson tipped his hat and said, “Top of the morning to you.”  Colleen recalls, “You and I had this telepathy idea swap and said to ourselves:  That sounds like a storybook character!” Years passed, and we filed this experience away, only to recall it decades later.

Co-authoring a series about a garden has inspired Colleen to become a gardener herself.   This year, she and her husband Ben have expanded their backyard garden to include 10 raised beds, a fence to keep the critters out, and veggies and flowers in every color of the rainbow.   Quite an accomplishment for a girl who had no interest in this kind of “get your hands dirty” work when she was growing up!   These days, she’s surrounding herself with research that shows flowers make you feel good, and the microbes in the soil keep your body healthy.  Fascinating, right?

The journey toward motherhood was not without its challenges, and in this interview,  Colleen speaks candidly about the two-year road toward conceiving her first child, Elizabeth Ray, whose nickname is Belle.  A PR pro at a top 5 advertising agency in Boston, Colleen is a lifelong reader with a unique writing style of her own.  “I write how I talk, says Colleen, and I didn’t realize until I was in college that my style was okay. One of my college professors told me it’s very honest, refreshing,  and easy to understand.  When you are given permission from someone you respect, it’s very freeing.”   In this interview, she shares the joy the series brings to Belle and Rosie, who join Nelson as the stars of our series.    “Lastsummer, we were drowning in flowers, and the girls and I started snipping them and putting them in jars by the side of the road.”   This act of kindness inspired book two in our series: Nelson’s Garden & the Free Little Flower Stand, scheduled for release in September 2025.   Says Colleen:  “This idea of giving away something that makes people happy is a real cool gift.”  #writer #childrensbooks #kindness #flowers #veggies

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They always say, you can’t choose your sister, but I would choose mine. – Linda Wong Chu

If you are ever visiting the Boston area and you need a hot tip for the best Chinese food around, the family-owned Kowloon is the place to go! We’re on the road to Saugus, Massachusetts, for this episode, and you better believe there will be a takeout bag of Kowloon delishiousness beside me in the passenger seat! Purchased by William & Madeline Wong in 1958, the Kowloon was first named the Mandarin and was owned by Madeline’s parents. The restaurant was small with seating for about 40 customers, but the Wongs had big ideas and their vision would catapult the Kowloon to legendary status with 1200 seats, five themed rooms, and the distinction of being one of the premier multi-concept dining establishments in the United States. What’s it like to grow up in the hard-working Wong family? Former school teacher Linda Wong is the eldest of the six children, and in this interview, she and her little sister Lisa who manages the Maui Restaurant in Brockton, Massachusetts sit down in the restaurant that shaped them to share not only the success story of their grandparents and parents, but the ingredients that make up the perfect formula for achievement: Says Lisa: “I used to believe that success meant work, work, work, work, work. Now, I know that you have to have a really happy family life to be successful.“ #chineserestaurant #entrepreneur #sisters #asianculture #family

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A good outfit can make you feel confident.  Uncommon Threads is a non-profit that boosts the self-esteem of low-income women through the power of clothes.  We focus on dignity and respect. -Susan Kanoff

Meet Susan Kanoff, style blogger, influencer, and Founder of uncommonthreads.org. A life-long fashionista with a heart of gold, she has spent her career helping women feel better about themselves with an innovative “outside-in, inside-out” approach.  For 25 years, Susan ran a self-sufficiency program funded by HUD and designed to move people out of poverty. Along the way, she started blogging about her passion for clothes and became the style editor for a magazine, gathering high-profile women in media who sought her styling advice. Many of her clients had high-end clothes to donate, and it wasn’t long before Susan’s office started looking like a boutique. In 2016, Uncommon Threads was born, and low-income, single moms became the grateful beneficiaries of beautiful clothing that, in turn, boosted their self-esteem. The mission of Uncommon Threads is simple:  to boost women’s self-esteem through the power of clothes. Originally housed in a 400-square-foot room at an old mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the non-profit has spread its wings in the same mill, helping 15,000 women so far. Women ages 18- 65+ receive an appointment and are treated to their own personal wardrobe stylist. Susan has also created Uncommon Closet, a social enterprise where donated designer clothing is sold to benefit Uncommon Threads. It’s a “shop to give” philosophy that’s win-win for everyone. Says Susan: “There’s something very special about women helping women. We have a sisterhood, a connection. Watching a client transform, right there in the mirror, is magical!” For 23 minutes of shop ‘til you drop inspiration, just hit that download button! @TheMidlifeFashionista