Uncomfortable Community Conversations are where we tackle what some would say is the hard or taboo stuff, because growth happens in the uncomfortable, and that’s what we want for our community, small businesses, and you. It’s where we stop being nice and start getting real.
Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause
Perimenopause is finally entering the chat, and it’s a wild ride for women and business owners alike; combine the two and you get our next Uncomfortable Conversation: The Pause, presented in partnership with the SBAM Women’s Business Council.
It’s long past time to address an issue impacting over 50% of our population, and 44.6% of the women-owned businesses in the state.
Perimenopause results in a brutal shift in energy, productivity, motivation, and mental clarity. Our bodies, brains, energy, priorities; it all changes in the blink of an eye, and women-owned businesses are ill-prepared to deal with it. We are leading companies, people, and navigating and holding up the world while the general public gets the ‘ick’ at the mention of our bodies, physicians hand out antidepressants as a solution, and there is little to no education or awareness on the subject.
Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause will focus on the impact on our businesses, workplace policies, and improving access to education + resources.
Women are not only a driving force in Michigan’s workforce, they also own nearly half of our small businesses; that makes supporting women through every stage of their careers, including midlife, essential to the strength of our small business economy. Creating a more menopause-friendly workplace starts with awareness, empathy and practical flexibility – meeting people where they are so they can continue to lead, contribute and grow.
Dr. Karen May is a chiropractic sports physician and Certified in Chronic Intractable Pain and Neuropathy, practicing since 2003. Her career has spanned elite sports medicine — including a stint as team physician for USA Bobsled and Skeleton — as well as caring for pregnant moms and newborns and helping women navigate life’s transitions, always grounded in a belief in food as medicine and the body’s own capacity to heal. In 2017, that expertise was tested when a rare surgical complication left her fighting nerve damage in her own body. Drawing on decades of clinical practice and training, she rebuilt her health from the ground up — and has since helped thousands of people do the same. With over 20 years in holistic health care, she speaks today as both physician and peer: a woman navigating her own perimenopausal years while running a business and raising a family.
Dr. Diana Bitner is a board-certified OB/GYN specializing in midlife, menopause, and sexual health. She is co-founder of true. Women’s Health, a concierge practice in West Michigan focused on helping women thrive through midlife while reducing chronic conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes. Dr. Bitner is the author of I Want to Age Like That! and has published peer-reviewed research on menopause care. She was named Menopause Practitioner of the Year by The Menopause Society in 2015. Dr. Bitner is committed to translating evidence into practical, scalable solutions that improve women’s health, confidence, and participation at work and in life.
Cheryl Bergman is a statewide policy leader advancing economic opportunity and improved health outcomes for women in Michigan. Appointed Executive Director of the Michigan Women’s Commission by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019, she leads work across public policy, workforce participation, and women’s health, bringing together employers, healthcare experts, advocates, and policymakers to address issues including economic security, affordable child care, and midlife women’s health.
Previously, Cheryl helped advance women’s political leadership through historic campaigns that elected Michigan’s first woman U.S. Senator and first woman Governor, and served as Senior Advisor on Governor Whitmer’s successful 2018 campaign. A Michigan State University graduate in Journalism, she lives in East Lansing and serves as Chair of the advisory board of Potter Park Zoo.
Brain Fog causes delayed decision making, forgotten action items, and errors we can’t afford to make – finances, compliance, legal, and God knows what else.
Insomnia triggers chronic fatigue, leading to missed opportunities, low stamina, and rescheduled everything.
Anxiety and rage erase executive presence, straining relationships with employees, clients, vendors, and everyone else.
Uncomfortable Community Conversations are where we tackle what some would say is the hard or taboo stuff, because growth happens in the uncomfortable, and that’s what we want for our community, small businesses, and you.
You can sit around and complain about it, or you can do something to change it, and we’ve chosen the latter.
