In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Julie Cole about making the choice to leave a professional law career and embrace entrepreneurship, Parenting, and advocacy. Broadcasting from Burlington, Ontario, Julie shares her journey from lawyer to co-founder of Mabel’s Labels, her experiences as a mother of six, and her approach to balancing career, family life, and raising a child with autism. Listeners will learn about the realities of career pivots, the challenges of the traditional workforce for women and parents, strategies for embracing imperfection, and actionable parenting insights.
About Julie Cole:
Julie Cole is a co-founder of Mabel’s Labels, the award-winning company that grew from a basement startup to a multi-million-dollar brand. A recovered lawyer and mom of six, she’s now a Senior Director, bestselling author, and recognized voice in entrepreneurship and parenting. An award-winning speaker and media contributor, Julie is known for her wit, Wisdom, and passion for supporting Small Businesses and women entrepreneurs.
Main Topics Covered:
Quote from the Episode:
“But I think if you’re going to have a child, you must know at, in, in some way that whatever child you get, you get. Like, you don’t get to construct this. Like, you get what you get, and you’re better off loving the child you have than missing or grieving the child you, you imagined, because there’s so much joy in the ones you have.” — Julie Cole 20:50
Timestamps:
00:01 Introduction: Amy introduces Julie Cole, making career changes, and overview of the episode
01:05 Julie shares her home in Burlington, Ontario, and thoughts on cold weather and local life
02:22 Education and career background—law, legal theory, and the pivot away from practice
03:42 Practicing law while managing a growing family, early signs of career misalignment
06:06 The challenges of balancing family and professional work; gendered expectations
07:32 Parenting during law school, overlapping major life milestones, and widening care gaps
09:07 Launching Mabel’s Labels from necessity and timing with family changes
12:57 Decision to have a large family—childhood expectations, “not having the ‘I’m done’ gene”
15:45 Receiving an autism diagnosis, grieving expectations, and the advocacy journey
19:02 Thoughts on acceptance in parenting, celebrating small wins, and meeting kids where they are
23:37 Process of leaving law, finding fulfillment and purpose in new endeavors
26:13 The realities and “mother tax” of leaving a professional track
28:46 Starting Mabel’s Labels; early business strategy, E-Commerce before social media
33:29 Scaling up with family and changes in Technology for parents
35:38 Parenting routines, independence, and transitions as children grow
37:13 Big family travel tips—adjusting expectations, off-season travel, mindset for tough days
40:10 Pro tip for staying connected with older kids: meet them where they are
42:51 Language in parenting teens, empowerment, and ongoing family communication
43:08 Amy’s wrap-up, joining the Imperfect Adulting community, and final words
ABOUT THE SHOW: The Art of Imperfect Adulting elevates the voices of experience by sharing real stories from real people figuring out adult life. Every episode features honest conversations about life’s choices, changes, and challenges—interviews with individuals (not celebrities) who share their personal experiences and insights. Through these authentic stories, listeners find validation, motivation, and inspiration for navigating their own path through modern life. Because there’s a big difference between expert advice and shared experience, and hearing another person’s lived experience helps us feel less alone in our own situations.
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Ai Transcription Tool: Castmagic https://get.castmagic.io/ugrmjjrt8ofj
For Email I recently switched to Beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Amy-Stone
before that I used Kit.
Books I like and books written by show guests on Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/lists/podcast-guest-authors
