147. A calculated risk, a maternity leave, and a business that grew anyway with Georgina Wysiecki
This week's guest has been on the podcast twice before, once for infant sleep and once for toddler sleep, and this time the conversation just went wherever it wanted to go.
We get into the calculated risk that let her build a private sleep-consulting practice instead of going back to a full-time job, the extended-health-benefits detail that changed the trajectory of her business, and what she wants every parent to know about sleep myths — like: there's no universal amount of sleep any kid "should" get, and there's no moral failing in a later bedtime.
We also chat about her child’s recent autism diagnosis, what the private assessment process looked like, and how she processed it as a mom before she processed it as a professional. From there it's the Fair Play method revisited, a garbage-bag story that changed how one household splits invisible labor, a whiteboard life-planning session, and a long, honest conversation about friendship, hobbies, and what's next.
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Intro
(03:37) Georgina’s story
(04:36) Who she is today, and who she was before kids
(07:03) The moment she knew her priorities had shifted
(08:25) The 6-month runway: a calculated risk
(11:01) Navigating people who chalk your success up to luck
(14:39) Finding your niche: people pay for transformation, not a skill list
(18:37) The biggest myth: not every kid needs the same amount of sleep
(22:05) Trial and error, and giving yourself permission to experiment
(24:02) The level 1 autism diagnosis
(26:33) Building the right supports, at school and at home
(29:18) Processing the diagnosis as a mom, not a professional
(30:47) "You don't get a medal for doing it alone"
(33:22) The first generation figuring out two working parents
(35:39) The Fair Play method, revisited
(40:38) Andrea and Scotty's whiteboard life-planning day
(44:19) "It never works, but it's the backbone"
(46:19) On friendship, low effort, and staying close from afar
(47:11) What she's figuring out in this season
(49:26) Redefining hobbies vs. self-care vs. running a business
KEY TAKEAWAY
Nothing here happened in one clean leap — not the business, not the parenting decisions, not the marriage. It's calculated risk and a lot of trial and error. Whether it's a business, a diagnosis, or a chore chart: you don't get a medal for doing it alone. Ask for the help. Make the invisible stuff visible. Let the plan change.
ABOUT GEORGINA WYSIECKI
Mum of 2, wife, Founder of Woodlands Collective, registered social worker, registered clinical counsellor & supports families with sleep. She lives in North Vancouver with her husband, children and 3 dogs. Originally from Australia and has lived in Canada for 14 years. She truly believes everyone can have a happy and well rested household. She is living proof that you can do this and a big believer in there’s no such thing as one way to parent. Georgina supports families to reach their sleep goals, improve mental health and relationships.
CONNECT WITH GEORGINA
Website | https://www.woodlandscollective.ca/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/woodlands.collective.sleep
