Episode 147 · June 4, 2024
Danielle Melton is Empowering Working Moms across the U.S.
with Danielle Melton, Founder of Motherboard
32 min
Danielle Melton is Empowering Working Moms across the U.S.
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In this episode
In this episode I sit down with Danielle Melton, founder of Motherboard, and honestly I couldn't wait to have her back. We first met at Alt Summit in Palm Springs — two Okies connecting all the way out in California — and I knew right away I wanted you to hear more about her heart for working moms. Motherboard started during the pandemic in 2020 out of Danielle's own season of burnout, and it has grown into a digital platform supporting working mothers in Tulsa and across the U.S.
Danielle gets raw about what it felt like to enter motherhood quickly through foster care, to give her all at work and at home, and to end up in urgent care because the juggle had become impossible. What she discovered — that so many moms are quietly burned out behind a great smile — became the seed for a community where moms can be vulnerable, honest, and truly supported. We talk about the difference between surviving and thriving, and why putting yourself first isn't selfish, it's what lets you show up for everyone else.
We also dig into her goal-setting workbook, Ready Set Goal Setting, her tips for protecting your time, and her beautiful journey through foster care — fostering over 30 children in Tulsa and adopting her daughter Kennedy. I love that Danielle leads with both expertise and openness. If you've ever felt alone in motherhood or like the month is running you instead of the other way around, this one is for you. Keep going — and let's connect, learn and grow together.
Key takeaways
- Burnout is real and incredibly common among working moms — Danielle's own experience landed her in urgent care before she even had a name for what she was feeling.
- You deserve to be 'mothered' too. Most resources focus on the kids, but moms need support, community, and tools for themselves so they can thrive, not just survive.
- Even with a wonderful spouse, the default parent can feel lonely — which is why connecting with other moms who truly understand makes such a difference.
- Mindset is everything. Start your morning with even 15 minutes of affirmations and intention-setting, and focus on what you want rather than what's overwhelming you.
- Keep a 'done-it' list, not just a to-do list, so you end the day celebrating what you accomplished instead of dwelling on what's left.
- Be 'disrespectful to the distractions' — before saying yes, ask whether it moves you toward your actual goals, and delegate the rest.
- Fostering is challenging but deeply rewarding. Danielle and her husband have fostered over 30 children in Tulsa, focusing on black and brown kids and the need for more foster families.
“I needed me as a mother to be mothered. I need support for me. And when I wasn't able to find that, that's when I created Motherboard.”
“A lot of people know how to smile really great from the outside, and on the inside they're really struggling.”
“Once we figure out what our goals are, we kind of have to be disrespectful to the distractions.”
“We're wanting to create that space where you can enjoy being a mom, you can enjoy going for your careers — you can enjoy both.”
Resources mentioned
About Danielle
Founder of Motherboard
Danielle Melton is the founder of Motherboard, a digital platform and community supporting working moms in Tulsa and across the U.S. With a background in executive leadership in education — from school director and principal to district director of operations and university instructor — she built Motherboard after her own experience with burnout. She's the author of the goal-setting workbook Ready Set Goal Setting, and she and her husband are active foster parents who have fostered over 30 children in Tulsa and adopted their daughter, Kennedy.
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