What happens when the life you thought was secure… disappears overnight?
In this powerful and deeply human episode of Shut Up and GRIND, Robert B. Foster sits down with Gail Showalter — author, educator, nonprofit founder, and relentless advocate for single mothers — to unpack what really happens after divorce, betrayal, and starting over.
Gail had what many would call the dream: a marriage, three children, a family business, a beautiful home, and a promising future.
Then came another woman — and everything changed.
Instead of letting the pain define her, Gail leaned into vulnerability, education, and purpose. With three young children in tow, she returned to college, published her first story Baby Steps, changed careers to become a Braille teacher, and eventually founded Single Moms EmpowerEd — a nonprofit born not from strategy, but from compassion.
What began as simply wanting to “give single moms a break” evolved into a powerful mission centered on education, empowerment, and personality understanding — because Gail noticed something critical:
Single moms with access to education and self-awareness were far more resilient.
In this episode, we talk about:
💔 Doing an honest “autopsy” on past relationships — without shame
🎓 Returning to college as a single mother
🧠 How understanding personality types can transform parenting
👩👧👦 What single mothers really need to thrive (not just survive)
🌱 Balancing self-care, growth, and the demands of parenting
🤝 How friends, family, and communities can better support single moms
Gail shares in a way that feels real, relatable, and refreshingly honest — the kind of conversation that reminds you that your past doesn’t disqualify you… it prepares you.
If you’re a single parent, know a single parent, or simply believe in rebuilding life after heartbreak — this episode will hit home.
🎙️ This is resilience. This is reinvention. This is Gail Showalter.
https://www.gailshowalter.com/