Mums On Cloud Nine – Details, episodes & analysis

This week on Mums on Cloud Nine, hosts Heather Black, Kelly-Jace Halls, and Lyn Constantine dive deep into the world of AI productivity hacks for budget planning and finances. As part of our 90 day series on AI, we're exploring how everyday mums can use simple AI tools to save time, lower stress, and take control of their finances.

From finding bargain deals online, to streamlining mortgage repayments and bringing financial clarity into family life, our hosts share honest stories, practical tips, and tried-and-tested tricks from their personal experiences. Whether you're a spreadsheet lover, a savvy deal-hunter, or simply looking for ways to overcome money anxiety, this episode has got you covered.

We discuss top financial apps like Snoop, Cleo, Plum and Emma, and show how they can help couples and families manage money together. Plus, find out why engaging with AI isn't just about saving cash and time—it's about building confidence, relationships and new career skills for the future.

Join us to get inspired and empowered to make smarter financial decisions with the help of AI!

Key Points in this Episode:

• Discover AI hacks that can save you up to 3 hours a week on financial planning and budgeting

• How to use ChatGPT to find discount codes, the best deals and smarter mortgage repayment plans

• Making spreadsheets smarter: bridging Excel with AI for financial accuracy

• Must-try financial apps: Snoop, Cleo, Plum, and Emma (https://emma-app.com/)

• How AI is supporting couples to manage joint finances and reduce money-related stress

• Tips for overcoming money anxiety and fear with gentle accountability from finance apps

• Teaching children about budgeting, saving and the value of money with fun AI tools

• The importance of developing AI skills for family life and future career opportunities

Websites & Apps Mentioned:

• Emma: https://emma-app.com/
• Cleo: https://web.meetcleo.com/
• Plum: https://withplum.com/
• Snoop: https://snoop.app/
• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ 

Listen now to start your journey to financial freedom, supported every step of the way by your Mums on Cloud Nine community!

Subscribe and connect with us for weekly mindset tips, practical hacks and empowering stories. Let's build a brighter future together.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share with any mums who want to feel stronger, clearer and more confident about their money and career!

Are you ready to reclaim precious hours in your week? Join hosts Kelly-Jace Halls, Heather Black, and Lyn Constantine as they dive into AI-powered productivity hacks for meal planning and shopping. This episode is packed with personal stories, helpful tips, and playful banter about how tech-savvy mums can save over 10 hours a week using AI tools. From building smart shopping lists to managing leftovers, discover how real mums are transforming their kitchens and family routines – all while finding extra time for themselves and their loved ones.

Whether you're juggling dietary requirements, hunting for quick meal inspiration, or just wanting to avoid those time-consuming supermarket trips, this conversation will leave you feeling empowered and inspired to give AI a try.

Websites Mentioned:

• Melia (UK): AI meal planning and shopping integration

• Meal Match UK: AI-powered meal matching

• Eatr (focused on healthy eating and calorie counting)

• ChatGPT (as the primary AI tool used by the hosts)

Key Points This Episode Covers:

• How AI can save over 10 hours a week on meal planning, shopping and food prep

• Real-life stories from the hosts using ChatGPT to create tailored meal plans and adapt recipes for specific dietary needs

• Using AI to manage leftovers and create tasty new dishes from what's in your cupboards

• The pros and cons of AI-powered shopping apps like Melia and others, including budget and organic food considerations

• Tips for streamlining the weekly shop and curbing overspending in supermarkets (including classic mum wisdom like shopping with a strict list and not shopping when hungry)

• Embracing voice-controlled AI for hands-free productivity at home and on the go

• Integrating meal planning tools with mainstream UK supermarkets for added convenience

Tune in to start your journey to easier, healthier and happier family mealtimes — and let the Mums on Cloud Nine team empower you to carve out more quality time for yourself.

Share your thoughts!
We love hearing from our listeners. Drop your comments, suggestions or questions on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe for more weekly tips and stories that support ambitious women and mums.

Brought to you by the Supermums team. Supporting women to relaunch their careers and build a life they love since 2016.

On this week's Mums on Cloud Nine podcast, we're tackling a challenge that shows up in almost every area of life: getting people to truly listen. Whether it's your kids tuning you out, your partner missing the point, or colleagues distracted by a never-ending to-do list, the frustration is universal.

Joining Heather for this conversation is Ruth Kudzi, CEO and founder of Optimus Coach Academy, who has spent years teaching coaching skills to leaders, managers, and aspiring coaches. Ruth shares why listening is at the heart of strong relationships, why we sometimes fail to hear each other, and how we can create an environment where people want to engage.

They explore the subtle cues that make us feel valued, the role of trust and safety in communication, and how distractions, both external and internal, derail conversations before they have even begun. Ruth also explains how coaching skills, even at a basic level, can improve listening, build stronger connections, and encourage more productive exchanges.

The discussion moves from the personal to the professional, with examples of how to approach tricky moments at home, including with children who have boundless energy or short attention spans, and strategies for workplace conversations where timing, tone, and empathy make all the difference.

Ruth also offers insight into the training options at Optimus Coach Academy, from short online courses for everyday communication to accredited diplomas for leaders and professional coaches. Whatever your role, she believes coaching skills can help you become more present, more curious, and ultimately more effective in every conversation you have.

Mums on Cloud Nine is your go-to destination for inspiring content that empowers women to build a life and career they love.

Each week, we share expert advice, personal stories, and practical tips across a range of topics from health and mindset to money and career growth.

Episode Highlights

• Why people sometimes fail to listen and how trust, safety, and feeling valued influence communication.

• The role of distractions, both external and internal, in breaking focus during conversations.

• How coaching skills can help improve listening, presence, and curiosity in everyday interactions.

• Practical tips for getting children to engage, including choosing the right time and environment for conversations.

• Approaches for ensuring colleagues listen in the workplace, such as timing discussions and understanding communication preferences.

• The different training options offered by Optimus Coach Academy, from short skills-based courses to accredited coaching diplomas.

Mums on Cloud Nine is your go-to destination for inspiring content that empowers women to build a life and career they love.
Each week, we share expert advice, personal stories, and practical tips across a range of topics, from health and mindset to money and career growth.

Check out our website at www.mumsoncloudnine.co.uk and subscribe for weekly tips to elevate your mindset.

In today's episode we're talking to Anna Bancroft on how to have a gender balance in the workplace and how that can be used for productivity and performance for a company. In particular we will consider the ways you can approach this within a tech business.

Here are the highlights from the episode:

{1:30} The big gender issue in the tech industry

{3:54} The importance of the leadership in achieving gender equality

{6:11} How to ensure equal opportunities within recruitment and selection

{8:04} The road to gender equality in Accenture

{16:16} The role of a mentor in gender equality

{19:00} Anna's top tips

Find out more about how Supermums empowers women around the globe with training and recruitment services. Join us to train, volunteer, sponsor or hire our amazing women in tech visit www.supermums.org

Find out about our free short courses here to start or progress your career in tech https://supermums.org/accelerate-your-salesforce-career/

Download our positive affirmation screen savers here to remind yourself how to be a Mum on Cloud Nine https://supermums.org/screensavers/

In today's episode we're talking to Kate Byars, Founder of Corporate Women Unleashed about understanding your personal leadership style and playing to your strengths and needs 

We're talking about how to create a life you love by working less and playing more while still holding down a fulfilling career. It sounds too good to be true doesn't it?

I've personally benefited from Kate's program and I can't recommend it highly enough. I'm so excited to have her join us on the show today. 

Here are the highlight from the episode:

{1:17} Creating more time in our day to create balance

{3:54} How Kate got started with the work she does with women

{8:36} Limiting beliefs

{10:55} Success styles

{24:01} Kate's top 3 tips

Find out more about how Supermums empowers women around the globe with training and recruitment services. Join us to train, volunteer, sponsor or hire our amazing women in tech visit www.supermums.org

Find out about our free short courses here to start or progress your career in tech https://supermums.org/accelerate-your-salesforce-career/

Download our positive affirmation screen savers here to remind yourself how to be a Mum on Cloud Nine https://supermums.org/screensavers/

Find out how women can support women in the workplace, with Kayleigh Potter, Account Executive and Women's Network Champion at Salesforce 

We explore the reasons why equality and diversity are important at Salesforce. Kaylee recently delivered an equality and diversity session to new recruits at Salesforce on Linkedin which was fantastic so I invited her on to the podcast to talk more about this. 

Here are the highlights from this episode:

{2:42} The benefits of investing in equality and diversity training

{6:47} Initiatives to support women

{9:47} Advice to employers who don't have these initiatives in place

{21:58} Volunteering and giving back

{27:47} The power of allies

Find out more about how Supermums empowers women around the globe with training and recruitment services. Join us to train, volunteer, sponsor or hire our amazing women in tech visit www.supermums.org

Find out about our free short courses here to start or progress your career in tech https://supermums.org/accelerate-your-salesforce-career/

Download our positive affirmation screen savers here to remind yourself how to be a Mum on Cloud Nine https://supermums.org/screensavers/

Starting out in a new industry, no problem, let's talk about how to raise your profile in the sector during my interview with Christine Marshall, Accidental Admins 

Here are the highlights from this episode:

{00:59} Introducing Christine Marshall

{1:43} How did she get involved with Salesforce sector

{5:05} How did you get involved in the community

{8:12} How did you practice and prepare for the speakers

{12:14} Blog and Social Media

{19:40} What benefits have you seen for you personally? 

Find out more about how Supermums empowers women around the globe with training and recruitment services. Join us to train, volunteer, sponsor or hire our amazing women in tech visit www.supermums.org

Find out about our free short courses here to start or progress your career in tech https://supermums.org/accelerate-your-salesforce-career/

Download our positive affirmation screen savers here to remind yourself how to be a Mum on Cloud Nine https://supermums.org/screensavers/

On my first show I explain what it takes to create a life you love to ultimately become a mum on cloud nine. Carving out a career you enjoy is one aspect but equally finding balance with responsibilities and connections with your family and co-workers is another. 

I share my journey and top tips on how to find balance.

Here are the highlights from this episode:

{00:33} Introducing my experience

{2:23} The focus of today

{7:25} The Tuckman Team Model

{10:10} A powerful tool

{14:55} Managing digital boundaries

{17:33} Connect with people every day

Find out more about how Supermums empowers women around the globe with training and recruitment services. Join us to train, volunteer, sponsor or hire our amazing women in tech visit www.supermums.org

Find out about our free short courses here to start or progress your career in tech https://supermums.org/accelerate-your-salesforce-career/

Download our positive affirmation screen savers here to remind yourself how to be a Mum on Cloud Nine https://supermums.org/screensavers/

Mums on Cloud Nine aims to inspire mums to progress their careers in tech from starting out to climbing the career ladder.

We provide tips and insight on how to succeed in your career and overcome adversity that many women can face in the workplace.

During Series One of our podcast we speak to inspiring women who are working at different rungs of the career ladder to hear how they have successfully navigated their career progression.

Find out more about how Supermums empowers women around the globe with training and recruitment services. Join us to train, volunteer, sponsor or hire our amazing women in tech visit www.supermums.org

Find out about our free short courses here to start or progress your career in tech

Download our positive affirmation screen savers here to remind yourself how to be a Mum on Cloud Nine

When you're the one everyone turns to, who supports you?

In this episode, I'm joined by the brilliant Rebecca Daniel and Sarah Bramall, co-founders of The Coaching Catalysts, to talk about something that doesn't get nearly enough airtime—coaching supervision.

We explore how leaders can create space for themselves in a world that constantly demands they show up strong. Sarah and Rebecca unpack the emotional load of leadership, explain what supervision really is (hint: it's not therapy or coaching), and share why it's essential for anyone managing people, especially those blending leadership with a coaching mindset.

We talk messy minds, blurred boundaries, and the power of having a protected space to process, reflect, and recharge. If you've ever felt like you're holding it all together for everyone else while quietly falling apart inside, this episode is for you.

You'll learn:

• What coaching supervision is and how it differs from coaching or therapy

• Why leaders need a space to offload without judgement or agenda

• How the emotional labour of leadership shows up (and what happens if it goes unchecked)

• The benefits of slowing down, even if your brain is already in 2026

• How organisations can build safer, more supportive coaching cultures

Whether you're a qualified coach, a team leader, or simply the go-to person in your circle, this conversation will make you think differently about how you care for yourself, so you can keep showing up for others.

Mums on Cloud Nine is your go-to destination for inspiring content that empowers women to build a life and career they love.
Each week, we share expert advice, personal stories, and practical tips across a range of topics, from health and mindset to money and career growth.

Check out our website at www.mumsoncloudnine.co.uk and subscribe for weekly tips to elevate your mindset.