Boss Mama CEO Story: Refusing To Settle

Donna’s story is one of resilience, determination, and refusing to settle.

Perimenopause has thankfully become a much more open conversation in recent years, and that’s such a gift. For generations, countless women experienced confusing changes in their bodies without understanding what was happening, or feeling truly heard.

Donna decided enough was enough. Instead of accepting another prescription as the only answer, she took her health into her own hands and explored functional medicine. That decision completely changed the trajectory of her life.

Her journey is inspiring. Not just because of the transformation she experienced personally, but because of the strength, perseverance, and purpose she’s carried into her professional life as well. I can’t wait for you to read her story.

And when you’re finished, don’t forget to show this incredible mama some love over on social media!

YOUR STORY

Tell us who you are!

My name is Donna Figueroa, and I’m the owner of Midlife Midwife Functional Health.

We love a good origin story, but first, give us your short + sweet intro!

As a Certified Functional Medicine Nurse Practitioner and Hormone Specialist, I help women reclaim their vitality and optimize their health so they can thrive through midlife and beyond. After completely reinventing my own life and career alongside motherhood nearly 25 years ago, my mission now is helping others turn back their biological clocks and live their second half with fierce energy.

Every boss mama has a ‘day one.’ What was yours?

My “day one” actually began over 25 years ago with a positive pregnancy test. I fell so deeply in love with my own childbirth experience and my incredible midwife that I decided to launch a complete professional U-turn, leaving behind a comfortable 20-year career in higher education administration.

In 2001, I started pecking away at nursing classes, one at a time, while working full-time and raising a young son with a chronic medical condition. In 2011, we uprooted our lives from New England to Virginia so I could attend graduate school. The hustle went into overdrive to earn my Master’s degree in Midwifery; I survived countless, grueling overnights on call at the hospital, running on pure adrenaline.

After graduating, I worked in outpatient clinics but quickly realized conventional medicine was just matching pills to symptoms rather than truly healing women. The universe forced me to find a better way when I slammed face-first into perimenopause myself — 40 pounds overweight, in agonizing joint pain, and facing double hip replacement surgery. Refusing to settle, I used my medical background to research solutions and found Functional Medicine. By treating the root causes of my inflammation, I completely healed my body, avoided surgery, and turned back my biological clock by 14 years.

Finally, in 2024, I launched Midlife Midwife Functional Health to give women the healthcare and true healing they deserve, proving it is never too late to reclaim your health and vitality.

Which came first—the business or the babies? Tell us how your family + business journeys intersected.

During and after, I was still pregnant when I realized I wanted a career in women’s health, and my son was just born when I began this journey.

We know it’s a wild ride—tell us how you’ve balanced building your dream biz while raising your crew. The good, the tough, the real.

Rebranding myself while raising a family meant mastering the art of juggling. When we moved from New England to Virginia, we left our support system behind. I accepted a scholarship that required me to work and attend graduate school full-time. Because our young son’s chronic medical condition required constant attention, my husband made the selfless decision to leave his career to become our primary caregiver.

For years, we survived on a single income while I bounced between work, school, and clinicals. I vividly remember the deep exhaustion of spending overnights at the hospital catching babies, only to rush home just in time to see my son off to school. You learn to stretch time and money in ways you didn’t know were possible.

But the highs were spectacular. My son grew up watching his mother refuse to settle. He saw me study at the kitchen table, uproot our lives for a dream, and eventually discover the functional medicine that helped us all heal. He learned that resilience is a practical skill. Now, he is thriving and just bought his first home; The ultimate truth is I didn’t take away from my family by pursuing my passion—I modelled how to live a purposeful life.

If I could sit down with every mama in the thick of it, I’d tell them this: your timeline doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. I pecked away at my education one single class at a time. Keep taking one small, messy step forward every day. You will eventually look back and realize you built an empire out of those countless little steps.

What’s one obstacle you’ve overcome?

I overcame perimenopause and went surfing in the Dominican Republic with my family to celebrate my 60th birthday!

YOUR BUSINESS

Tell us your superpower—what’s your product, service, or special offering?

Health transformation

What’s the magic that sets you apart?

True hormone optimization isn’t as simple as slapping on a generic HRT patch; it is a highly nuanced, dynamic process. Your body relies on an intricate symphony of hormones that must work in perfect harmony. My practice eliminates the guesswork. I use deep, comprehensive lab testing to look beyond standard “normal” reference ranges, identifying the precise, optimal levels your body needs to eliminate symptoms like hot flashes while maximizing protection against cardiovascular disease, dementia, and bone loss.

Furthermore, my care goes far beyond a routine annual check-in. I’ve built a premium community with frequent touchpoints so we can continuously track, adjust, and pivot based on how you actually feel. We optimize the entire foundation—including gut health, stress, and lifestyle—because true hormonal balance never happens in a vacuum.

Spill the tea — any big milestones, press shoutouts, or launches on the horizon? 

I am so thrilled to share that Midlife Midwife Functional Health officially turned two years old on June 1st! We’ve been nominated for 2026 in both the Best of Loudoun Best Holistic Health Clinic, as well as for an Award for Chamber Excellence (ACE) for New Business of the Year by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce. And finally, we have recently been featured as one of Virginia’s Most Inspiring Stories in Voyage Virginia magazine.

To celebrate our second anniversary milestone, I am giving away FREE consults (a $295 value!), open to anyone living in Virginia or Maryland. Just text the words “Healthy Hormones” along with your full name and email address to 571-252-9779, and I will send you complete instructions to schedule your session!

In addition, my many published articles and podcast appearances can be found on the Mindful Media page of my website: https://midlifemidwifefh.com/mindful-media

Give us a Day in the Life of being both Mom and CEO!

Over the last 25 years, I’ve learned that balance is an active, high-energy dance! Here is a peek behind the curtain of my day as the CEO of Midlife Midwife Functional Health:

The Morning Power-Up: Before the sauna and shower, I drop for 25 push-ups, hit my vibration plate for bone density, and use my BEMER mat to supercharge my microcirculation. Then, I head out for either a workout at the gym or a multi-mile walk while listening to advanced clinical lectures on hormone optimization.

The Mid-Day Hustle: My afternoons alternate between the community and the clinic. I love hitting the road to connect with local Northern Virginia business groups. Back at my desk, the deep clinical work happens: analyzing complex functional labs, mapping out custom protocols, and meeting with patients to address their concerns and celebrate their wins.

The Evening Reset: My husband and I whip up a nutrient-dense meal or hit a local foodie favorite. To transition out of “CEO mode,” I unwind with meditation or classical music to promote deep sleep, detox, and cellular repair

The Weekend Bonus: You’ll find us completely celebrating the life we’ve built—relaxing on our deck or enjoying a great glass of wine at a gorgeous local winery.

ADVICE FOR MOMPRENEURS

What’s the single best piece of advice or favorite tool you’d share with other mamas building their businesses?

Your experience doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. You don’t have to choose between your health, your family, and your business. The secret to managing it all isn’t perfection — it’s prioritization. When you fill your own cup first and prioritize what else is important, you can still have more than enough power and energy to build a business and still enjoy your family.

What’s been your biggest challenge juggling motherhood and running a business?

The hardest part has been the silent pressure cooker of living on a single income in a brand-new state where we knew absolutely no one, while carrying the weight of a full-time accelerated medical education program, a full-time job, and a child with a chronic medical condition. There was no safety net, no local family to lean on, and zero room for error. Balancing that intense financial and academic pressure while striving to be the present, loving mother my son needed didn’t just test my limits — it completely molded me into who I am today.

What’s your approach to balancing business and family? We love the real, unfiltered stories!

My approach is simple, as I alluded to before: “Progress over Perfection!” I stopped chasing “perfect” and kept moving forward, little itty bitty steps at a time.

Looking back, what’s something you wish you had known before starting your business?

Looking back, I wish I had known that you don’t need to have the entire map figured out before you take the first step. When you have a big vision, it’s easy to paralyze yourself trying to anticipate every single twist, turn, and regulatory hurdle. But the truth is, the road reveals itself as you drive it. Moving from New England to Virginia, changing my entire career path, and pivoting my business model from digital to brick-and-mortar weren’t failures of planning—they were just part of the journey. You don’t need a flawless plan; you just need the courage to take that next, single step.

What tool, resource, or habit has completely changed the game for you?

Studying true hormone optimization and understanding its impact on health and wellness.

What mindset shifts have helped you keep going during hard seasons?

When I stopped viewing obstacles as a sign that I was on the wrong path, and started viewing them as the small challenges required to build strength. When we were surviving on a single income, when I was completely exhausted catching babies overnight, and when I had to throw out my business plan and hunt for commercial real estate, I shifted my inner narrative from “Why is this happening to me?” to “What is this preparing me for?” Hard seasons aren’t punishment; they are preparation. I overcame every single hurdle I faced, and they didn’t break me. Instead, they made me stronger and qualified me to stand here today as a clinical powerhouse, a proud mother, and the CEO, not only of my business, but also of my own life. When the season gets heavy, stop looking at how far you have left to go, look back at what you’ve already survived, and keep moving.

What words of encouragement would you give a Mom tempted to give up on her business dream?

“Leap, and the net will appear” — John Burroughs, American naturalist and author

I’d love to feature more Boss Mamas like Donna. If you know someone who deserves the spotlight, please reach out and send me their info at ashley@bossmamaceo.com or via my contact page here. And hey, if that’s you, I love a little self-brag too! Send me your details so we can shine the spotlight on you as well.

Here’s to all the incredible Moms juggling a million things—keep shining bright, cheering each other on, and building the life you love!

Ashley

Friendly Note: I’m simply sharing my journey, experiences, and lessons learned as a Mom in business. This isn’t legal, financial, or professional advice. Always check with a qualified pro for guidance tailored to you.