Podcast Summary: Living Your Legacy
Episode: Creator of “Mom Said Duck”: Building a Global Stage for Moms Everywhere
Host: Rudy Mawer
Guest: Jill Moishek ("Mom Said Duck")
Date: November 18, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Rudy Mawer sits down with Jill Moishek—better known online as “Mom Said Duck”—to explore her unique journey from corporate HR to becoming a global voice for moms through poetry, comedy, and live events. The conversation offers a candid look at Jill's personal turning point, her creative rebirth, and how she built a movement that brings laughter, connection, and validation to moms everywhere. The episode dives into the resilience needed to start over, the challenges of forging a nontraditional career path, and the power of authenticity in building a brand and a legacy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. From Corporate Success to Personal Loss—and Opportunity
- Career Background: Jill enjoyed a successful ten-year career in labor relations and HR, boasting six-figure earnings in a male-dominated field.
- Turning Point: Five days before ending her maternity leave, Jill was unexpectedly let go—a moment that left her feeling “embarrassed, ashamed, [and] scared of the next steps.”
- Quote: “It hit me like a ton of bricks. ...But I had one clear thought, which was that this was the universe maybe telling me that I needed to take a different path.” (00:06)
- Catalyst for Change: Supported by a severance package, she had a year to reinvent herself. Her mother inadvertently sparked her creativity by uncovering a poetry book Jill wrote as a child.
- Self-Discovery: Recognizing a creative spark she thought she’d lost, Jill began writing poetry again, transforming her motherhood struggles and everyday moments into verses.
2. Building the Mom Said Duck Brand
- Early Validation: Jill’s return to poetry began with a playful rhyme for her son, which received warm feedback from her husband and friends.
- Organic Growth: Encouraged by a creative coach, she launched a website, newsletter, and ultimately a podcast, focusing not only on written poems but on live performances.
- Quote: “I realized over the course of time my favorite thing about my poems was saying them, not writing them.” (07:58)
- Breakthrough Moment: For years, Jill faced rejection and slow traction, but the launch of her live show, “Mom’s Night Out with Mom Said Duck,” created a “resounding yes” from audiences and sold-out events, signaling that she had found her true niche.
- Quote: “It was just kind of an overwhelming response...I have so much momentum now. It feels like I’m in the right spot.” (08:56)
3. The Power of Perspective and Humor
- Unique Voice: Jill fuses poetry, comedy, and motivational storytelling, addressing universal and often unspoken aspects of motherhood—like frustration, guilt, and vulnerability—turning them into relatable and humorous narratives.
- Validation for Moms:
- Quote: “I think it gives moms an opportunity to be entertained as opposed to be the entertainment for once.” (00:44, 12:46)
- Contrasting Roles: Her brand doesn’t fit traditional boxes of “poet” or “comedian,” providing a distinctive space where moms can laugh, cry, and feel seen.
4. Growth, Impact, and Vision
- Rapid Expansion: After years of struggle, Jill’s live shows now sell out rapidly, with evidence of a growing and enthusiastic community of mothers eager for honest, joyful connection.
- Aspirations:
- Quote: “There are about 2 billion moms in the world. That’s who I want to reach.” (10:36)
- Future goals include a Netflix series based on her poems and performing on grand stages à la Kevin Hart or Amy Schumer (10:55).
- Longevity & Legacy: Jill’s content is intentionally timeless, designed to resonate with mothers across generations.
- Memorable Compliment: “One of the best compliments I ever received was from my husband’s grandmother...She read one of my poems and she looked up at me and she said, ‘Jill, you brought me right back.’” (16:12)
5. Encouraging Authenticity and Following the “Nudges”
- Serendipity & Trust: Jill credits her success to following synchronicities and gut feelings, urging listeners to pay attention to similar “nudges from the universe.”
- Quote: “If you listen to the nudges from the universe...now it’s turned into me sitting with you in Miami...So had I not followed all of these little nudges from the universe, I don’t think that I would be where I am right now.” (17:58)
6. Advice & How to Connect
- Start Here: Jill’s “Fresh Poem Friday” newsletter—free, fun, and ongoing for five years—delivers new poems to start every mom’s weekend with a smile (13:32).
- Where to Find Jill:
- Instagram (@momsadduck), website (momsadduck.com), and her podcast—short, poem-centric episodes.
- Live events and shows announced through her newsletter and socials.
- Podcast Format: Brief, three-minute episodes, each focusing on a single poem. The energy and impact come alive in live shows, where laughter and tears mingle in the audience.
7. Legacy and Long-Term Motivation
- Jill’s Vision:
- Quote: “I want to be known long term as someone who is resilient and someone who doesn’t take life too seriously...” (15:41)
- Timelessness: Mom Said Duck is built on universal experiences; motherhood stories and struggles remain relevant through generations.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Unexpected Loss and Opportunity:
- “It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was embarrassed, ashamed...But I had one clear thought, which was that this was the universe maybe telling me that I needed to take a different path.” (00:06)
- Jill’s Unique Perspective:
- “I think it gives moms an opportunity to be entertained as opposed to be the entertainment for once.” (00:44, 12:46)
- Validation from Strangers:
- “My first two shows...sold out in less than 24 hours....It was just kind of an overwhelming response that was too hard to say that this wasn’t something now.” (08:56)
- Ambition and Scale:
- “There are about 2 billion moms in the world. That’s who I want to reach. That’s why I’m here today.” (10:36)
- Legacy:
- “I want to be known long term as someone who is resilient and someone who doesn’t take life too seriously.” (15:41)
- On Creativity Lost and Found:
- “I had always coined the term as an adult that I don’t have a creative bone in my body...And then so this book made me realize that I did maybe in fact have a creative bone in my body. I had just maybe lost it somewhere along the way.” (06:32)
- On Synchronicity:
- “There are so many synchronicities in my story...If you listen to the nudges from the universe...I don’t think that I would be where I am right now.” (17:58)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:06: Jill’s job loss and emotional fallout
- 03:21: Realization about a needed life change
- 04:29: Mother brings back childhood poem, reigniting creativity
- 06:32: Writing her first new poem for her son
- 07:36: Discovery that performance (not just writing) is her passion
- 08:56: Launch and explosive growth of live shows
- 10:36: Jill’s global ambition—“2 billion moms in the world”
- 13:32: “Fresh Poem Friday” newsletter intro
- 15:41: Jill’s legacy and life philosophy
- 16:12: The compliment from her husband’s grandmother (“you brought me right back”)
- 17:58: Importance of following “nudges from the universe”
Final Takeaways & Where to Find Jill
- For Listeners: This episode is an uplifting look at turning adversity into art and impact, validating the messy realities of motherhood while creating community and laughter.
- Engage with Mom Said Duck:
- MomSaidDuck.com
- Instagram: @momsadduck
- “Fresh Poem Friday” newsletter
- Podcast platforms (search “Mom Said Duck”)
- For Entrepreneurs & Creatives: Jill’s journey emphasizes persistence, authenticity, and embracing uncertainty as a path to genuine connection and market fit.
Summary compiled for listeners seeking the essence and inspiration of Jill Moishek’s journey and the legacy she’s building—one poem, laugh, and live show at a time.