Expert Village Spotlight: Barbara Palmer

At Hello Nanny!, we know that raising a family takes more than love—it takes a village. That’s why we’ve built ours: Hello Nanny!’s Expert Village.

This curated network of trusted professionals—spanning child development, family wellness, mental health, education, and more—exists to help parents and caregivers navigate the complexities of modern family life with confidence.

We’re thrilled to spotlight our community of experts, sharing their story, their work, and the insights that inspire them. Because behind every great caregiver or parent is a team of people who make the journey a little easier. And, we’re here to make sure you never walk it alone.

We recently chatted with Barbara Palmer, Top Broad at BroadPerspectiveConsulting and founder and coach, Your 4th Trimester. As a certified Fair Play Facilitator, Barbara specializes in supporting employees as they navigate their Oh Sh*t Moments: becoming a leader, delegation, conducting difficult conversations, providing feedback, and on and on. The biggest OSM is welcoming a new child to the family and transitioning to working parenthood. She offers different perspectives on how to navigate what life throws in your path with a focus on professional development and work milestones, being the parent you want to be in your child(ren)’s eyes, while maintaining your personal brand and priorities.  

Name and occupation:
Barbara Palmer, Top Broad at BroadPerspectiveConsulting, founder and coach, Your 4th Trimester

Do you have kids? If so, how old are they?
Grown human boy 30; Grown human girl 25

Tell us about your company/current role:

In coaching employees through their Oh Sh*t Moments in their career, I realized the biggest challenge was in the transition from employee to working parent – and Your 4th Trimester was born. This confidential, concierge program coaches employees out to and back from parental leave through planning, coaching & support. Intentional planning supports the new parent and also benefits the team that has a smooth transition with their colleague and yields retention rates 2x the national average.

Go-to coffee (or tea) order:

Fun fact: I have never tasted coffee. Once that is your ‘thing’ there is more value in keeping that up than giving in.

How would your kids describe you?

As a single mom, my children grew up with my business (which just hit its 10 year biz-aversary last month). It is hard to separate what I do from how I parent – always a coach, offering a broad perspective (both wide and deep, but also uniquely female), and being direct with feedback and solutions. My colleagues used to joke that I would retire, my daughter would sit down at my desk and no one would notice the difference. My son has always been involved with marketing ideas, supporting social media and content development for the company. And I think (hope) that they would both say (unprompted) that they are proud of me and what I have built and how I support my clients.

Any family traditions?

MANY. I love traditions centered on gathering, food and fun. What we do and how we interact when we are together, old jokes and stories (repeated over and over), family history that is kept alive in the telling, restaurants we go to or foods that we cook. And how we celebrate: birthdays, holidays, and milestones. There is comfort in traditions, built on love.

3 things you never leave the house without:

I have actually been on a nomad adventure for almost 3 years, moving month-to-month to different locations. My question to everyone is what 3 things would you need as you moved each month to make your new place feel like home. I’d like to answer that question – going into a house rather than leaving. Family pictures which immediately brings my people with me, my cast iron pan so I can cook no matter the state of the kitchen, and trinkets from friends and family that remind me that I am not alone (a horseshoe, compass bracelet, candles, handmade blankets…).

Piece of parenting advice that has stuck with you:

I had a sign that said: “Don’t mind the noise and the mess, my kids are making happy memories.” It always reminded me of what was important. It helped me stop ‘should-ing’ on myself. Parenting is about allowing kids to figure out who they are with your support – and having fun and making a mess along the way.

What does your support system look like? 

People – 100% human systems. I had the same nanny for almost 23 years. She was my partner and loved my children as much as I did. Knowing she was with my kids and would care for them as needed allowed me to focus on priorities at work or at home, and be present with my kids because she took care of so much. Supportive friends who partner with me on life and business decisions, offer sound advice, hold space, and know me well enough to challenge me. My parents who still believe I can do anything (and I’m not about to let them down).

Last thing you did solely for yourself:

While my nomad adventure has been selfish in all the best ways, the most recent thing that recalibrated me was a trip to New Zealand to see one of my best friends. He centers me and took care of every detail. We did a lot and also a lot of nothing – just living our days together. And while I was there, I got a new tattoo: all who wander are not lost. It represents the past 3 years and who I am now having lived this life.

If you had a magic wand to make one parenting challenge disappear, what would it be?

Parental guilt. Rooted in comparison, we never feel like we are doing anything right. Social media exacerbates the feelings of ‘less than’ and I wish I could ease that stress by eliminating the guilt that comes with parenting (at every stage).

Interested in joining our curated network of trusted professionals who share practical, evidence-based advice with our national community of parents and caregivers?When you join, you’ll be part of a collective of thought leaders whose expertise spans pediatric care, child development, lactation support, mental health, sleep consulting, career coaching, safety advocacy, and more.

Learn more and apply here. 

For more Expert Village Spotlights check out the below:

Kat Neill, Owner of CPR with Kat

Certified Parenting Coach Keesha Scott

Postpartum Doula Ashley Gerhard

Life and Relationship Coach Chelsea Skaggs

Katerina Jones, Founder of Full Bloom Fertility

Tiffani Rogers, Early childhood development and education consultant and Founder of Bright Solutions