Balancing a career and navigating motherhood requires more than ambition, it requires resilience and bold decision-making.
Barbara Nicholas, CEO of Polly, shares her journey of growing up with limited resources, becoming a young mom at 18, working double shifts to make ends meet, and still managing to carve a path all the way to the C-suite.

Barbara opens up about one of the most defining moments of her career: returning to work after having her second daughter, only to find her employer hadn't prepared a proper space for her to pump. What followed was a decision that changed everything, and a lesson she's carried into every leadership role since.

We also dig into the state of parental leave in the US today, including the disheartening rollbacks at companies like Deloitte and Zoom. Barbara shares how Polly approaches leave and why she believes supporting working parents isn't just the right thing to do, it's simply good business.

This one is honest, fiery, and full of hard-won wisdom from a woman who's been figuring it out since day one.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction and family setup

(01:19) Barbara’s journey to becoming CEO

(03:09) Becoming a young mom and early career challenges

(05:09) Maternity leave and pumping struggles at work

(07:53) Leaving her job and reclaiming career agency

(09:37) Setting boundaries and having bold employer conversations

(15:30) Paid leave policies and equity at Polly

(19:23) Corporate parental leave rollbacks and workplace trends

(21:54) Childcare costs, economics, and career impact

(30:32) Generational reflections, leadership, and motherhood

(35:21) Save of the week segment

Connect with Barbara Nicholas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-nicholas-polly/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Check out Polly: https://www.polly.ai/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

Building a business and navigating motherhood requires more than ambition, it requires embracing uncertainty and constant reinvention.

Jillian Whitlow, founder and CEO of Ink & Honey, shares her journey of transitioning from a corporate career to entrepreneurship while raising three kids under four. From navigating the challenges of starting a business after a layoff to balancing a thriving career and a stay-at-home husband, Jillian reveals the real-life decisions behind making it all work.

In this conversation, Jillian opens up about the tough decisions she’s made, how she built her company on the fly, and the constant juggling act of being both a CEO and a mom. She dives into the complexities of creating a family-first business and the pressures working moms face in today’s world, all while refusing to pretend it’s easy.

If you’ve ever wondered how to have a successful business while being fully present as a parent, this episode offers an honest, refreshing look at what it really takes to build a career and a life you love on your own terms.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Jillian Whitlow

(01:00) Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship

(03:15) Starting a business after a layoff

(06:20) Navigating the first year of business with a newborn

(08:30) The decision for her husband to become a stay-at-home dad

(10:45) Balancing a growing business with motherhood

(13:00) Challenges of working from home with young kids

(15:30) Building a LinkedIn branding business

(17:50) The ups and downs of being a mompreneur

(21:10) Letting go of perfection and embracing the chaos

(24:30) What it really takes to build a business while raising a family

(27:00) The importance of flexibility in business and life

(29:50) Redefining success on your own terms

(32:40) Save of the week: Leveraging a tiny babysitter for big results

Connect with Jillian Whitlow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-whitlow/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Check out Ink & Honey: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inkandhoney/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

There’s no clean handoff between work and parenting. It all happens at the same time.

Paula shares how years of frustration over finding snacks her kids would actually eat turned into Sampleit, and what it really took to get there. Not a perfect routine or carved-out hours, but stolen moments between school drop-offs, snack requests, and the constant pull of little people who need you right now.

Paula opens up about the mom guilt that creeps in when you're trying to build something for yourself, how she navigates work when her kids are watching, and why she stopped trying to separate the two. She also talks about the "let me fill you up" approach that became her reset button and what it actually looks like to show up for your business and your family in the same messy hour.

This is what building something looks like when you're also raising someone.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Paula Wise

(01:33) The idea behind Sampleit

(03:40) How motherhood shifted what work felt like

(10:30) "Better for you" vs perfect parenting

(11:45) What flexible work actually looks like day to day

(19:45) Trying to be present while your brain is still working

(26:55) Why working outside the house can feel easier

(28:10) Traveling without your kids and what comes up

(33:03) Teaching independence and modeling work

(35:11) Staying connected while you're away

(39:54) Taking time off as a business owner

(41:54) Save of the week: Empty boxes > toys

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Paula Wise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulawise/
Check out Sampleit: https://sampleitbox.com/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com