{CEO Series} Ori Carmel - How to Make Better Decisions About Work and Family

In this reflective and deeply thoughtful episode of Big Careers, Small Children, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Ori Carmel, Founder and CEO at Sowen. Drawing on his lived experience as a father of two, Ori shares how working parents can make better decisions about work and family, build guardrails that protect what matters most, and avoid the regret that often comes from overwhelm or overcommitment.

Ori reflects on the moment he missed his daughter’s first smile while travelling for work, the subtle choices that shape daily family life, and the simple frameworks he now uses to stay aligned with his values.

Together, they discuss:

✔️ How working parents can use simple decision-making tools to avoid stress, regret and overwhelm

✔️ Why flexibility often leads to blurred boundaries and how to put guardrails back in place

✔️ The “bandwidth check-in” system Ori and his wife use to share the load on tough days

✔️ How cultural expectations and ego subtly influence men’s decisions about work and family

What you'll learn in this episode:

🔹 How to make clearer day-to-day decisions about work and family

🔹 How to recognise early signs of overstretch before burnout takes hold

🔹 Why decision-making frameworks help parents stay aligned with their values

🔹 How to course-correct when work starts to take up more space than intended

Ori’s reflections are an invitation to slow down, examine your decision-making patterns, and build structures that support both your ambition and your family life.

Show Notes:

• Connect with Ori Carmel on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Sowen here.
• Learn more about the Leaders Plus: Big Careers, Small Children podcast and explore additional resources at leadersplus.org.
• Follow Leaders Plus on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bluesky.
• Connect with our CEO, Verena Hefti MBE on LinkedIn.
• Find out more about the work of Leaders Plus by signing up to our Newsletter.

Our multi-award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowships support parents committed to career growth while enjoying family life. Expertly designed to keep parents on the leadership path, our programme tackles gender pay gap issues and empowers parents to thrive. Learn more here: Leaders Plus Fellowship.

More BCSC episodes you might love:

Episode 215 : Ahed Serhal – How to Turn Guilt into Growth: Finding Balance as a Working Parent Abroad

Episode 205: (C-Suite Series) Steph Hind - How to Balance Leadership, Parenting, and Wellbeing Without Sacrifice