Crush the Rush™: The Life-First CEO Podcast
You didn’t leave corporate just to build another 24/7 job.
Hosted by Holly Haynes—business strategist, former Fortune 500 executive, and creator of Crush the Rush™—this top-rated podcast helps female entrepreneurs and small business owners design life-first business strategies that create freedom, profit, and sustainability without the burnout.
Each week, Holly shares practical business planning tools, behind-the-scenes lessons, and honest conversations about what it really takes to scale sustainably in a fast-changing online world. From simplifying your systems and using AI intentionally to building a supportive team and protecting your time, every episode helps you work less, think bigger, and grow smarter.
Because success isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters, on your terms.
Tune in every Monday for your strategic pep talk, and start building a business that works with your life, not against it.
Crush the Rush™: The Life-First CEO Podcast
580 - Steady + Connected: What Middle School Parenting Teaches Us About Business and Belonging with Bridget KerMorris (CLIENT SPOTLIGHT)
What does it look like to stay grounded as both a parent and a business owner? Today, I sit down with Bridget KerMorris—mom of seven, therapist, parenting coach, and creator of the Steady + Connected Parenting Method. Bridget helps parents navigate the middle school years with calm and connection, and she shares how those same tools can transform how you run your business.
We talk about emotional regulation, navigating anxiety, setting tech boundaries, and how finding her niche led Bridget from Anti-Social School to the Today Show.
Whether you’re building a family-first business or learning to show up for yourself and your kids with more steadiness, this episode will leave you feeling grounded and inspired.
Today you’ll hear:
- 02:28 - What “life-first business” means to Bridget—and how she stays intentional with family and work
- 04:45 - Her go-to method for choosing where to focus energy (and why regulation comes first
- 07:23 - Simple ways to spot anxiety in yourself or your kids—and reframe it using her “update method”
- 10:11 - Two questions every middle-schooler is asking and how to keep communication open
- 14:27 - How to talk to your kids about tech using family values instead of fear
- 18:25 - The breakthrough that came from niching down inside Anti-Social School
- 22:05 - How her Instagram blew up to 43K+ followers and led to the Today Show
- 24:22 - Why follower growth doesn’t equal profit—and what systems she built to sustain it
- 25:59 - Inside The Collective Co-Op: scaling with structure, support, and confidence
- 28:16 - Bridget’s Q4 advice for parents—create lightness, joy, and connection at home
- 29:52 - Where to find Bridget’s tools, workbook, and free guide for middle-school parents
CONNECT WITH BRIDGET:
Website: www.kermorris.com
Instagram: @bridget.parentcoach
FREE Resources:
50 Ways I'm Staying Close to My Middle Schooler: https://kermorris.myflodesk.com/50waysguide
Middle School Tech Safety Toolkit: https://bridgetparentco.samcart.com/products/middle-school-tech-safety-toolkit
🔗 LINKS MENTIONED:
🌟 Explore Intensives → www.hollymariehaynes.com/intensive
🎧 Anti-Social School™ → www.hollymariehaynes.com/antisocial
🌎 Website → www.hollymariehaynes.com
📲 Instagram → @thehollymariehaynes
💬 Loved this episode?
Comment below with your biggest takeaway, share it with a business friend, and don’t forget to screenshot and tag me so I can cheer you on!
