Mighty As A Mother

The Career Moves That Matter Most After Becoming a Mother

In a world that tells moms we can "have it all," most of us are sitting there like… cool, can I also have five uninterrupted minutes and a hot cup of coffee? In this episode, we sit down with journalist-turned-health-tech insider Christina (Chrissy) Farr to talk about the career moves that actually matter after becoming a mother—because postpartum isn't just a physical recovery. It's a full identity recalibration. Chrissy has built a rare career at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and healthcare innovation—and she's refreshingly blunt about what changed for her once kids entered the picture: her relationship with time, the power of boundaries, and the shift from doing everything to doing the right things. Together, we unpack: Why motherhood makes you stop working "for exposure" (and start pricing your time like the precious resource it is) Chrissy's "high-visibility vs. low-visibility work" framework—and why it's a game changer when your life has daycare pickup baked into it The honest shift many women feel after having kids: wanting purpose and financial security (and not apologizing for either) Why women need to talk about money more—without shame, secrecy, or pretending we're "above it" How to model ambition and integration for our kids without turning our lives into a burnout highlight reel The reminder so many of us need: you don't need perfect timing to start—your life will expand around what matters This conversation is for the mom who's quietly renegotiating everything: her ambition, her calendar, her tolerance for unpaid labor, and what "success" even means now. Links & Resources 👉 Chrissy's newsletter, Second Opinion: https://secondopinion.media/ 👉 Chrissy's podcast, Lifers (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lifers-with-christina-farr/id1759267211 (Apple Podcasts) 👉 Scrub Capital: https://scrubcapital.com/  👉 Chrissy's book, The Storyteller's Advantage:  👉 Follow Chrissy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinafarr  Listen & Follow Mighty as a Mother Subscribe to Mighty as a Mother on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mighty-as-a-mother/id1687678053 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0rbxeBmjXSRFWXPkIoPcnb Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mightyasamotherpodcast/?hl=en Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mighty-as-a-mother-podcast/

E65: Whole Person Coaching That Redefines You From the Inside Out with Dr. Natalie Underdown

What if your leadership didn't start with a strategy—but with your nervous system? This week, we're joined by Dr. Natalie Underdown, organizational psychologist, executive coach, and founder of The Nu Company, for a conversation that flips the script on what it means to lead, evolve, and truly care for ourselves in high-stakes seasons of life. Natalie brings a whole-person approach to executive coaching—one that fuses neuroscience, trauma healing, identity work, and performance psychology. After burning out in corporate and navigating a health crisis rooted in toxic mold exposure, she redefined her own path. Now, she helps other ambitious women do the same—from the inside out. Together, we get real about: Why burnout isn't a badge—and how it often masks deeper misalignment How whole-person coaching helps you unlearn performance-based identity and reconnect with who you actually are What nervous system regulation has to do with emotional resilience, leadership, and even parenting The practical magic of shaking off stress (literally) and embracing somatic tools that work in real life—not just retreats Human Design as a tool for self-understanding and why it might explain your decision fatigue or energy dips If you're sitting at the edge of reinvention, or just trying to lead with more integrity and less adrenaline, this episode is your invitation to pause, breathe, and get curious about the stories you're still telling yourself. Links & Resources 👉 Dr. Natalie Underdown's Website – The Nu Company 👉 Follow Natalie on Instagram 👉 Our episode with Human Design expert Erin Claire Jones 👉 Book rec: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk For more conversations like this one, subscribe to Mighty as a Mother on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen—and follow along on Instagram and LinkedIn.   

E64: The Female Friendship Crisis: How to Nurture Adult Connections That Last with Anna Goldfarb

Today, we sit down with Anna Goldfarb—friendship journalist, author, and voice of wisdom on the quiet complexity of adult relationships. Together, we're unpacking why maintaining female friendships feels harder than ever, especially in motherhood, and what it actually takes to nurture the ones that matter most. Through honest stories and thoughtful research, Anna helps us reframe what healthy adult friendship looks like today. They talk about the grief of friendships that drift, the courage it takes to initiate hard conversations, and why effort (not just history) is what keeps connection alive. If you've ever found yourself missing someone who used to be in your daily life—or wondering how to deepen the friendships you still have—this conversation is a balm and a roadmap. You'll Learn: Why nearly half of adults report shrinking social networks—and what that really means How motherhood reshapes our friendships, sometimes painfully The power of desire: why it matters that you want to show up What to consider before giving feedback in a friendship How to know when it's time to let go—and how to grieve a friendship breakup Why small gestures (a text, a meme, a voice note) are never really small What it means to treat friendship as a privilege, not a given How to reconnect with the people who make you feel most like yourself Links & Resources Mentioned: Anna Goldfarb's website and writing: www.annagoldfarb.com Anna's book: Modern Friendship Related episode: Finding and Maintaining Meaningful Friendships During This Busy Season – E3 HBR article: The Power of Work Friends For more authentic and honest motherhood conversation, subscribe to Mighty as a Mother: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

E63: Redefining Leadership, Ambition, and the Future of Work—with Industrious President Anna Squires-Levine

In a world reshaping itself around how, where, and why we work, what does leadership actually look like—especially when you're also navigating motherhood? In this episode, we sit down with Anna Squires-Levine, President of Industrious (and mama of three), to explore that question and more. Anna joined Industrious nearly a decade ago when it was just a few co-working spaces—and helped scale it to 300+ locations across 10 countries. Now, she's guiding the company into a new era after its acquisition by CBRE, all while welcoming her third baby. Together, we talk candidly about: How to lead during life's most chaotic transitions The myth of balance and the radical act of choosing your kind of hard Why human-centered workspaces are more critical than ever—and how Industrious is redefining what it means to "go to work" The honest truth about ambition, identity shifts, and the emotional tug-of-war working moms face daily Practical questions to ask yourself when you're standing at a career crossroads This one's for the moms holding it all—the dream, the diapers, the deadline. Anna's wisdom is both grounding and galvanizing, reminding us that the future of work isn't just flexible. It's human. Links & Resources 👉 Learn more about Industrious 👉 Follow Anna on LinkedIn 👉 Jenn's essay on hustle culture: "My Career is My Refuge" 👉 Book rec: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz For more honest motherhood conversation, subscribe to Mighty as a Mother on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen—and follow along on Instagram @mightyasamotherpodcast.

E62: Kristi Rible on Human‑Centered Leadership in the Age of AI: Why Mothers Are Rebuilding Work

If you've ever wondered, "Why does work still feel like it wasn't built for women—or mothers?" — this one's for you. In today's episode, we're joined by Kristi Rible—global leadership expert, mom of two, and founder of The Huuman Group™—to talk about how AI is reshaping work, and why the future needs more than automation. It needs humanity. It needs mothers. Kristi brings her 25+ years of leadership across continents and industries to help us understand what's really changing in today's workplaces—and how empathy, flexibility, and curiosity are becoming non-negotiable leadership skills. She also teaches the groundbreaking Stanford course Motherhood and Work, where she challenges outdated narratives and empowers the next generation to lead with care and courage. This isn't a tech episode—it's a call to action for women who want to lead, live, and mother in ways the old systems never made space for. You'll hear: Why "human skills" like empathy, trust, and communication are not soft—they're essential in the AI age What the "motherhood penalty" is, and why the system isn't broken—it was just never built for us How Kristi's divorce sparked her mission to redesign leadership around care, not just capital The story behind her Stanford course—and why no men have ever taken it Why Gen Z gives Kristi hope for the future of caregiving, equity, and leadership How to use AI without losing your own cognitive or emotional intelligence What flexibility really looks like—and why it's the #1 issue shaping women's careers today Whether you're a leader, a caregiver, or both—this episode will help you see the workplace (and yourself) with fresh eyes. Links + Resources: Learn more about Kristi's work: The Huuman Group™ Kristi's Stanford course: Motherhood and Work: Challenges and Opportunities for Positive Change McKinsey Report mentioned in this episode: Superagency in the Workplace Follow Kristi on LinkedIn: @kristirible For more honest, empowering conversations about motherhood, leadership, identity, and AI, subscribe to Mighty as a Mother wherever you get your podcasts—and follow us on Instagram @mightyasamotherpodcast.