Second Breakfast with Surf With Amigas

Holly talks with surfing icon Rochelle Ballard about breaking barriers for women in the lineup and how women’s surfing has evolved. Rochelle shares her experience as a stunt double for the infamous movie Blue Crush, including an injury on set and the film’s impact on the wider surfing world. They also chat about fear, surf etiquette, aging, and Rochelle’s life after competition.

In the episode you'll hear about:

• Rochelle's story growing up surfing in Kauai and charging Pipeline
• Pioneering women’s surfing and the Blue Crush era
• Competing and traveling in the early days of pro surfing
• Managing fear, safety, and lineup etiquette in today's surfing world.

Learn more about Surf With Amigas surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia: http://surfwithamigas.com/

Ever feel like your "serious" job is slowly draining the fun out of your life? In this episode Barbara, the founder of surf-hat brand Kaiola, shares how a solo surf trip to Brazil inspired her to trade corporate London for full-time ocean living in Costa Rica. After a battle with skin cancer and struggling to find a surf hat that actually stayed on, she spent years prototyping a functional, stylish surf hat. Her story is a reminder that it's never too late to start something new and build a life around what you love.

We'll chat about:

• How a solo trip to Brazil inspired Barbara to leave her corporate job and pursue surfing.
• The prototyping journey behind creating a high-performance surf hat.
• Why learning to surf later in life didn't hold Barbara back from building a brand around the sport.

Check out Kaiola hats on Instagram @kaiola.co, or at https://www.kaiola.co/.

Learn more about Surf With Amigas surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia: http://surfwithamigas.com/

Malibu surf etiquette has a problem, and former pro long boarder Carla Zamora says the old rules, the new crowd, and the silence around bad behavior all play a part. In this episode we chat about lineup politics, what surfing was and is becoming for women, and how we can all play our part in making the lineup a better place for everyone.

We dive into:

• Why Malibu etiquette feels more chaotic than ever
• How COVID changed surf culture and lineup behavior
• What it was like growing up as one of the only girls in the water in Malibu
• Women's pro surfing and sponsorship, then vs. now
• How Carla turned public backlash into Queen of the Point, an all-women’s longboard event that now brings together more than 100 surfers, ages 3 to 74!

Learn more about Surf With Amigas surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia: http://surfwithamigas.com/

What is it really like living in remote Indonesia and wave pool surfing in China? Longtime Surf With Amigas Surf Coach Megan Halavais catches up with Holly Beck to share the raw reality of expat life, travel, surf, and relationships.

In this episode of Second Breakfast, Holly and Megan dive into:

• The beauty and challenges of living in remote Indonesia

• Wave pool surfing in Hainan, China

• Navigating travel, relationships, and life on the road

• Meeting your soulmate in your late 30’s

• How years of surf coaching shaped Megan’s perspective in and out of the lineup

Connect with Megan on Instagram: @panocha_de_arena

Learn more about Surf With Amigas surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia: http://surfwithamigas.com

Today we sit down with Laura Kinman, an entrepreneur in the women's outdoor industry. After 12 years working for Patagonia making sustainable and fair-trade women's surf wear and outdoor gear, she made the decision to create her own business, Coastal Range Collective, a women's swim and surf brand. Take a listen as Laura shares her journey in building sustainable products, career pivots, and how surfing and foiling changed her life.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Check out Coastal Range Co. https://coastalrangecollective.com/

Tune into our most recent check-in with Jackie and Holly as they discuss life updates, new retreat locations, and reminisce on some epic stories of the early days of SWA retreats in Costa Rica.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Today we sit down with Danielle Cass, a mother and writer working in AI safety and responsible usage at Microsoft. As someone currently undergoing breast cancer treatment, she shares her cancer journey and how surfing helped her regain autonomy, agency and confidence throughout her treatment. We discuss the future of AI and conscious technology and what kind of role we play in allowing it to influence our lives, for better and for worse. Take a listen to Danielle's thought-provoking conversation for insight into how we can empower ourselves at whatever stage of life we may be in.

To learn more about Danielle and her story, check out her blog here.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

In today's chat we sit down with Christina Stapke, an integrative and functional dietitian, and owner of Sea and Spruce Nutrition. After years on different meds for a variety of health issues, Christina sought to heal herself holistically and turned to personalized nutrition. She shares her journey and practical tips for maintaining a healthy diet, especially for women.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Today we sit down with Lenet Rivas, Amiga and Financial Advisor who recently launched a business focused on helping women manage their finances. With a background in male-dominated corporate finance, Lenet realized she wanted to pivot and empower other women by launching her dream business. She considers herself a personal trainer of the finance world. For anyone interested in career pivots, building something of their own in a traditional industry, and looking to obtain financial independence, take a listen.

To learn more about Lenet and her business, clickhere or check out her Instagram, @blueotterfinancialplanning.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

After years of climbing the corporate ladder and navigating major life transitions, amiga Kati took a leap: walking away from stability to build her own consulting business from the ground up. In this episode, she shares the mindset shifts, hard lessons, and unconventional tools that shaped her journey. Her greatest key is her “joy menu," a personal system she created to break out of ruts, interrupt bad habits, and reconnect with what actually fuels her. Sit down with us as we chat about what it means to redefine success on your own terms, and how to create career and mindset shifts that align with your personal growth.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Accidents while surfing in crowded lineups is a great fear for most surfers. However, after Layna's surf accident in the Maldives she was able to turn a terrifying experience into a deep healing journey and make radical life changes. In this episode, we hear Layna's story but also dive into a deeper discussion about etiquette, compassion and how we can make the ocean a safer space for everyone.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

How do you think about the future? Does it make you anxious? Are you an optimist or a doomsdayer? Today we sat down with Florence Gaub, a futurist and author at NATO, who shares her unique journey from growing up in Munich to becoming an avid surfer and a key figure in today's world of geopolitics. We chat about her unique approaches to living life in the present and how to balance future challenges with optimism, action, and a bit of what she calls compassionate courage: how to stay grounded in the present but still be ready for what comes next.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Ever wondered what's really important to look at when viewing a surf forecast, or what truly influences wave formation? In this episode, we sit down with Oceanography PhD and TikTok star Paige to uncover the science behind swell period, wave height, and the mysterious wave energy numbers we see on forecasts. Paige breaks down all of this and more while encouraging us to maintain our curiosity about the natural world and sharing insightful and inspiring ocean facts.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Could training the small muscles you can't see be the secret to real strength? Pilates instructor and Foundation Training expert Gabrielle Cahoon would say it definitely is. Today, she sits down with us to break down how foundation training is an essential tool in your longevity wheelhouse. She dives into how stabilizing exercises can relieve pain, improve mobility, and prevent further injury. She shares how simple practices, from breathwork to spinal decompression, changed her life, and can help us build more resilient, aware bodies and minds.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Today we sit down with amiga, Piper, to hear about her adventure in Central America; the three-year long van trip with her partner allowed her to practice autonomy and effective communication in relationships, learn to let go and trust the process. From surfing in Mexico to making friends with locals in El Salvador, Piper's story serves as a good reminder to fully commit to new experiences and surrender to change.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

In this conversation, we sit down with SWA booking manager and trip leader, Summer, to hear about her surf journey and reflect upon her unconventional career path. From moving to Costa Rica at a young age to work on permaculture farms and supporting local surfers to later managing communications and partnerships at both ISA and the women's surf brand, Seea, Summer offers plenty of insights into finding your path, taking chances and making the most of your circumstances. Holly and Summer also explore how SWA strives to recreate the surf industry from the inside out by fostering safe spaces for women to gain skills, confidence and knowledge about the surfing world.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Former pro surfer Nicole Grodesky sits down with us to chat about her surf journey, the nuances of women's professional surfing, and how we can leverage different mentalities to help push us to believe in ourselves more and succeed. We chat about how setbacks can be viewed as life redirects, rather than failures, that lead us down more fulfilling paths, why it is essential to speak up for ourselves, and some insight into dealing with the emotional rollercoaster that is surfing. Nicole’s story emphasizes that that every life experience provides extra leverage and greater benefit moving forward.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

In this conversation, amiga Paula Bushardt shares her remarkable surf journey while looking back on 70 years of life; from growing up all over the world, most notably in places like Nicaragua and Peru, to becoming a passionate surfer and eventually a space engineer, Paula's story highlights adaptability and flow at every stage of life. She also offers some valuable advice for aspiring surfers, encouraging women to surf in all conditions and forge ahead without fear.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Do you remember the age of surf mags? Before social media took over, magazines were the primary way to stay in the loop of what was happening in the surf world. In this conversation, Holly and Sunshine Makarow, a former competitive surfer who helped develop women's surf media, chat about Sunshine's professional life and women's representation in surfing over the years. After surfing professionally in the late 90s, Makarow launched Surf Life for Women, a magazine that pushed for women to be at the forefront of surf media and be recognized more for their talent, and less for their sex appeal.

Connect with us at https://surfwithamigas.com/ or @surfwithamigas.

Episodes produced and edited by Emma Roggenkamp.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Train with us!
http://online.surfwithamigas.com

Join us for a lively chat with WSL commentator Rosy Hodge as we dive into the evolution of women’s surfing, celebrate how far the sport has come, and look ahead to its exciting future. We’ll highlight up-and-coming shredders, share insights from the competitive scene, and explore the waves of change shaping the next generation of female surfers.

Surf With Amigas runs surf coaching and yoga retreats for women in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Morocco, and Indonesia — http://surfwithamigas.com

Episodes produced and edited by Emma Roggenkamp.