Listen-in on Jen's conversation with Allison Breininger, a nonprofit founder based in St. Paul, Minnesota who is changing the way family caregivers are seen & supported, while caregiver for her husband who is living with the rare genetic disease Fanconi Anemia.

CONVERSATION MARKERS:

• 00:00 Introduction to Allison and her journey
• 00:43 Allison's nonprofit: The Negative Space
• 02:25 The evolution of Allison's career and nonprofit journey
• 05:51 The significance of caregiving and The Negative Space's mission
• 09:11 Allison's personal caregiving experience
• 14:31 The challenges and realities of caregiving
• 17:21 Sustaining The Negative Space amidst personal challenges
• 20:40 The intersection of entrepreneurship and caregiving
• 22:31 Navigating the complexities of caregiving and work
• 23:21 Hustle behind flexibility
• 23:42 The creative energy vs. exhaustion in caregiving
• 24:02 Exploring nonprofit challenges and personal growth
• 24:59 Facing the crossroads: growth or stability?
• 26:21 The visibility struggle of non-senior caregivers
• 29:01 The isolation and unpredictability of caregiving
• 32:27 Managing personal wellbeing amidst caregiving
• 37:19 Redefining work and life balance
• 42:07 Concluding thoughts on caregiving awareness

RESOURCES + LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• In Sickness podcast
• The Negative Space
• Enneagram

ABOUT ALLISON:

Allison Breininger has a MA in Education and spent twenty years teaching, training, directing, coaching, and creating content in the realm of education. At 31, she became a caregiver for her husband, Sean, when he was diagnosed with the rare genetic disease Fanconi Anemia. In the eleven years since, she has been by his side through a bone marrow transplant and cancer of the tongue, throat, gums, bladder, and skin.

In those years, she has experienced firsthand that caregivers are in the negative space: vital yet overlooked and unsupported. Fueled by what she has seen, Allison founded the nonprofit The Negative Space as a way to use her experience and skills to change the way caregivers are seen and supported.

Through The Negative Space, Allison shines light on the realities of caregiving, provides direct services to caregivers and educates and equips those who support them with concrete tools and strategies. She co-hosts the In Sickness podcast, provides individual coaching to caregivers nationwide, facilitates support groups and education sessions, partners with multiple organizations to more intentionally support caregivers, and sells caregiver gift boxes.

She and her husband, Sean, live in St. Paul, Minnesota with their teenage daughter, Bedeline.

CONNECT WITH ALLISON:

• LinkedIn
• The Negative Space
• The Negative Space on Facebook
• The Negative Space on Instagram
• The Negative Space on LinkedIn
• In Sickness podcast

To connect with Jen or learn more, visit

Entrepreneuring while caregiving by Jennifer Barrett Fajardo

Listen-in on Jen's conversation with Cindee Conner, a retired Air Force Lt Col combat veteran and former Registered Nurse turned entrepreneur and franchise owner in Boca Raton, Florida, while caring for a parent with Alzheimer's.

CONVERSATION MARKERS:

• [00:22] Military service to caregiving
• [02:29] The unexpected arrival of Cindy's father
• [05:33] Transitioning from military to entrepreneurship
• [10:50] The challenges of caregiving and running a business
• [12:33] Exploring the franchise opportunity
• [16:00] Balancing business, caregiving, and personal well-being
• [19:20] The power of support networks
• [22:26] Confronting anger and resentment in caregiving
• [24:16] Reflecting on entrepreneurship and personal aacrifices
• [27:22] Finding balance: self-care amidst caregiving
• [29:57] Creating systems for caregiving
• [33:17] The resistance to accepting help
• [38:41] Navigating medicaid and care resources
• [41:18] Supporting a caregiver's enterprise
• [48:00] The emotional journey of caregiving

RESOURCES + LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Daily Calm: 10 min meditation app by Calm - can be done anywhere
• Green Noise Deep Sleep Hypnosis by Better Sleep - helps slow down racing thoughts at bedtime

ABOUT CINDEE:

Cindee Conner, a retired Air Force Lt Col combat veteran and former Registered Nurse, has transitioned into entrepreneurship as the owner of Graze Craze in Boca Raton. Her passion for catering and food inspired her to bring the art of charcuterie to the forefront of modern entertaining through Graze Craze.

Specializing in crafting exquisite charcuterie boards and boxes, Cindee showcases premium meats, cheeses, fruits, and accompaniments with meticulous attention to detail and creative flair. Her commitment to using high-quality ingredients sets Graze Craze apart in the industry, aiming to create memorable culinary experiences with farm-fresh products and house-made ingredients.

Outside of her business pursuits, Cindee is dedicated to her family, caring for her parent with Alzheimer's and supporting her husband, Paul, an AF veteran turned entrepreneur in the environmental industry. She's also a proud mom to a college student daughter studying at Auburn University.

CONNECT WITH CINDEE:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook Group

To connect with Jen or learn more, visit https://jenbarrett.com

Entrepreneuring while caregiving by Jennifer Barrett Fajardo

https://entrepreneur-caregiver.captivate.fm

In this short introductory episode, Jen shares a bit about her unexpected path to entrepreneuring while caregiving and the inspiration for launching this podcast.

• [00:00] welcome to the journey
• [00:34] the accidental entrepreneur
• [02:28] rejecting the dream job for consulting
• [04:50] scaling back to scale up
• [06:28] life's unpredictable twists
• [09:06] adapting and evolving
• [10:00] the mission behind the podcast

RESOURCES + LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• My entrepreneurial story | Jennifer Barrett Fajardo
• Team José (a blog about my husband's journey living with ALS) - José and Jen created this site as a way to keep friends and family updated, as well as to share ways to support + advocate for people living with ALS
• Comms For Causes (membership)

To connect or learn more, visit https://jenbarrett.com