Des Moines Parent Spotlight: Cassi Hentzel, Centered Seasons Planner

Des Moines Parent Spotlight

by Erin Huiatt

Des Moines Parent Spotlight: Cassi Hentzel

I am so excited to introduce you to Cassi Hentzel. She is a local Des Moines, single mom and has created an amazing resource that you will love. Not only has she created a product line, but she also shares her adventures and perspective of being a single mom on her blog Shes Somewhat Together. Learn more about Cassi and everything she has to offer!

Give us a little background on your family and personal life! How many kids do you have? Have you lived in Des Moines all your life?

I grew up in Ankeny and graduated in 2007. I then went to college at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. I moved back after graduating and started my career in the tech industry. In December of 2017, I had my daughter, Gemma.

What is your business, and what do you do?

I am a life coach and work with women who are overcoming divorce & betrayal to create lives they love.

You can also find me at my blog Shes Somewhat Together where I cover self-care, productivity, home management & parenting from the perspective of a single mom.

In 2019 I opened C + CO Creative and launched my first product line; The Centered Seasons Planners. They incorporate everything I couldn’t find in a planner; goal planning, self-care tools, habit tracking, productivity tips, meal planning, with daily & weekly layouts all in a format that I can complete within 10 minutes.

Why did you become a small business owner?

I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur I just didn’t know what I wanted to do. After going through a traumatic period in my own life and subsequent divorce, I knew it was time to make my dreams a priority. I found my purpose in helping women create beautiful lives out of the ashes of betrayal. Working with them has reignited my passion for organization and productivity. As a result, I now have a multipronged business, with each product supporting an amazing community of strong women.

Where is your favorite place to take your children to play indoors?

Gem is still pretty small (she’s 2), so you can usually find us at the mall playgrounds or the Des Moines Children’s’ Museum.

Where is your favorite place to take your children to play outdoors?

We love the splash parks! We have been to several in the metro.

Parent’s day/night out. Describe your perfect parent only day/night out in Des Moines.

I love a relaxing night with good food, good cocktails, and great girlfriends. Recently we started an A to Z restaurant challenge. Each gets together we pick a letter and find a local restaurant none of us have been to. It’s a great way to explore Des Moines.

What are some tips on juggling parenthood, working, and personal life?

For me, it’s all about time-blocking and saying no. Which is something I’m still working on.

I use my weekly time block layout to easily see where I have margin in my week or if something needs to go. Growing up with entrepreneur parents I saw firsthand how quickly your business can take over your life. So now I start by blocking out my time for my daughter and myself, then the demands of my business and other commitments fill in the rest. Of course, things are going to come up, so it’s also important to know what you can move and when.

My second best tip is to let go of your pride. Don’t try to do it alone. Being a single mom has really driven home the importance of self-care. I can’t give others my best if I am running on empty. This is where knowing your limits and living in a community makes all the difference. Learning to accept the help offered and knowing when to call in reinforcements is a lesson I learned in my daughter’s first year.

What is your number one parenting tip?

I’ve only experienced parenting as a single parent so my advice is for the other single moms.

Letting go of the “what-should-have-been” will help you embrace the beauty and joy in the “what-is”. It is so tempting during life milestones and especially during the holidays to compare your current circumstances to others or the image you have in your head of what your family “should be” or how it was “supposed to be… if only”, but the truth is, you are exactly where you are supposed to be and though your family may look different from how you imagined, it is complete and beautiful. Embrace the joy of today.