Joanne McHugh had a hard time figuring out what she really wanted to be when she grew up. She ended up finding her way to a career in marketing with the international division of a Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company.

After Joanne climbed a few rungs on the corporate ladder, she rebalanced her life to spend more time at home with her three daughters. Over the years, she’s worn a variety of hats, including writer, editor, consultant, brand strategist, and personal historian. At present, Joanne works as a strategic market analyst for a multimedia and publishing company.

Joanne’s essays, articles, and commentary pieces have been featured in Grown and Flown, Zibby Mag, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and other publications.

Once her children began to fly the coop, Joanne started remembering what it was like to be in their shoes. She feels bad that young people today face more pressure than ever to try to have it all—even though nobody has ever explained how to pull that off.

In the interest of helping 20-somethings to be better prepared to navigate young adulthood, Joanne created a weekly online newsletter, Things Your Mom Should Have Told You. By speaking candidly about the ordinary struggles of adulthood, offering common-sense wisdom, and throwing in a few laughs, she hopes to help reduce anxiety about becoming a grown-up.