I’m excited to share this episode of the Mother’s Quest Podcast with someone I deeply admire and whose recent book “Spiral: A Catalyst for Innovation and Expansion” was a revelation to me... speaker, author, thought leader, homeschooling mother, and CEO of the renewable energy start-up muGrid Analytics, Amy Simpkins. Before a self-described identity crisis brought her to the work she’s doing today, Amy was quite literally on the path to becoming an astronaut. After pursuing a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and a masters in Astronautical Engineering from USC, she began a 10-year tenure as an aspiring Spacecraft Systems Architect designing, integrating, and operating spacecraft at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. How she determined she no longer wanted to become an astronaut and the power of being truly seen by someone else, which led to her becoming a coach, are just a few of the topics we explore during our conversation.  I first came to know Amy when I was facilitating a virtual “Power Circle” for the organization Emerging Women and Amy was a participant. Right away, I knew she was someone special, as she brought the insight of an engineer’s brain, a poet’s heart, and an alchemist’s life journey to every session.  Using her unique gifts, Amy lights the way for so many of us with how she explains and embodies the iterative spiral path to life, motherhood, and entrepreneurship. And in this conversation, as we explored her wisdom and lessons learned along all the E.P.I.C. guideposts, it felt like we revealed together the creative genius, a quality she most admired in her mother, that is also inside of her.  I left feeling more at ease than when I arrived, noticing the places and ways that I can bring more integration and awareness about the spiral processes in my life, and committed to making space, as Amy challenged me to do, to put down my phone, and sit in the pause and exploration of a question in my life, rather than rushing to a solution.  I invite you to do the same right now...to push pause, really listen to this conversation, and create space for integration, curiosity, iteration, and creativity in your E.P.I.C. life. Much appreciation, P.S. Know someone who would love this conversation? Click forward now to pay this forward to a friend who may be interested. This Episode is Dedicated by: Olivia Parr-Rud Olivia pioneered the research in Predictive Analytics and Business Intelligence that led to the writing of her first book, Data Mining Cookbook, Modeling for Acquisition, Risk and Customer Relationship Management (Wiley 2001). Her passion for finding successful solutions for her clients inspired her research on leadership and corporate culture and the unveiling of the link between advances in technology and the increasing need for human and organizational development. Her findings are detailed in her second book, Business Intelligence Success Factors, Aligning for Success in a Global Economy (Wiley/SAS, 2009). In addition to public speaking, Olivia offers training and consulting in both predictive analytics and innovative leadership. Her clients include Cisco, Citizen’s Bank, Clorox, HP, IBM, Xerox, Providian Insurance, Wells Fargo, Fleet Bank, Advanta, Nationwide, and SAS. Olivia has a BA in Mathematics and an MS in Decision and Information Systems, with a concentration in Statistics. She is a certified Holacracy™ Practitioner. Holacracy™ is a set of structures and practices designed to build organizational adaptability and resilience. My Big ‘Why’ https://tinyurl.com/LOVENEWCOMPETITIVEEDGE LOVE@WORK: The Essential Guide to a Life of Inspired Purpose - A Silver Nautilus Book Award Winner LOVE@WORK Method: Practices and Tools for Stepping In Your Life of Inspired Purpose Radio Show: Quantum Business Insights – Emerging Perspectives on People, Process, & Profits Follow Olivia on Social Media: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Medium   YouTube Instagram In This Episode We Talk A